Moment man shoots friend in face with crossbow in 'horrific' attack as he's jailed for 18 years

• Watch as Maricel Melinte fires a crossbow at his friend in the garden of a house in Southampton.

The moment a man was shot in the face with a crossbow at point blank range in an 'horrific' attack in Southampton has been released, as a man is jailed for 18 years.

Maricel Melinte almost killed a man, who was supposed to have been his friend following an argument at a house in Shirley in September 2021.

He'd originally denied firing the crossbow deliberately but a camera installed in the garden showed the attack was unprovoked.

The bolt was lodged in the victim's face but he managed to flee and lock Melinte in the garden, where he was arrested a short time later.

Surgeons say the victim is lucky to have survived.

The defendant, Maricel Melinte was sentenced to 18 years in prison at Winchester Crown Court on Friday (10 February) having been found guilty in December last year.

The court heard the victim had installed a CCTV camera on a garden shed to study the clouds and at the time he was on the phone using an app to try to check the camera was working.

The footage captures Melinte firing at the man's head, and top of this he attacked him with a hammer.

Miraculously, the victim managed to escape, run into the road before an off duty paramedic helped him until an ambulance arrived.

Detective Inspector Howard Broadribb of Hampshire Police said: "It is horrific and I honestly don't know how he survived.

"The bolt didn't go through the artery, through fantastic surgery at the hospital.

"Our victim describes his friend that day as not being human and acting like a demon and not knowing what got into him and I don't think we will ever know the true reason why they had a fight and what happened but the sentence today does reflect the severity of it, the injuries and just how close he came to death."

The victim spent two weeks in a coma and wasn't expected to survive, but the operation to remove the bolt was a success.

Officers say he still suffers with some ongoing injuries to his eye and elbow and processing the emotional trauma.

"I honestly don't know how he survived, DI Howard Broadribb added.

"I think it's the grace of God. The bolt didn't go through the artery. So fantastic surgery at the hospital. And the quick response to the off duty paramedic who helped save his life.

"He wouldn't be here today had it not been for those series of probably very lucky events that have been in his favour that day."

"The sentence today reflects the severity of what's happened. The victim describes his friend that day as not being human, and acting like a demon, and doesn't know what's got into him.

"I don't think we'll ever know the true reason they had a fight and what happened. But the sentence today does reflect the severity of the nature of the injuries and just how close he came to death."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…