Barnstaple man carried out 'brutal' broomstick attack on vulnerable care home residents

A Barnstaple man who attacked vulnerable residents in a care home he broke into has been jailed for ten years.

Exeter Crown Court heard how Drew Davey carried out the "senseless and brutal" attack in the early hours of 16 August last year.

He had been drinking and arguing with his girlfriend before entering the sheltered housing in Lulworth, Westward Ho!

Davey then fell asleep in a shed in the garden of the care home but was woken by two residents who had gone outside to smoke.

He reacted by launching the attack, which ended in the kitchen.

Two of the victims, who were vulnerable care home patients, were repeatedly hit over the head with a broom handle, the court heard.

Davey was then disturbed again by a staff member who had gone to investigate the noise. Davey hit the member of staff in the face.

Despite being injured, the third victim managed to alert police to the incident.

Devon and Cornwall Police said the residents were discovered with significant head wounds and taken to hospital in a serious condition, where they remained for a number of weeks.

They were also left with life-changing bleeds on the brain after being hit repeatedly.

Davey was found hiding in a bush in a garden close to the scene and arrested.

Defending, Anna Vigars KC, said Davey was struggling with mental health issues at the time of the attack.

She said that he had no memory of the attack and was horrified when police told him what had happened, adding that he is extremely remorseful for his actions.

In court, onlookers in the public gallery at Exeter Crown Court were warned to look away as gruesome footage from a police body cam showed the kitchen with both men lying in pools of their own blood.

Davey admitted two counts of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and one of causing actual bodily harm and was jailed for ten years with a three year extended licence by Judge Stephen Climie.

He classified him as a dangerous offender and told him: “The two victims were in mid-life and had suffered historically so far as their health was concerned. They were highly vulnerable and in a care home.

“They may well have disturbed you but it is almost incomprehensible what was going on in your mind when you attacked them as you did.

"It was an unprovoked attack on two vulnerable strangers which resulted in very serious injuries.”

After the case, Deputy Senior Investigating officer DS John Crewe said: “My team and I welcome today’s sentence. Mr Davey subjected three completely innocent members of the public to a horrific, senseless, and brutal attack.

“Two of these men were already extremely vulnerable and it was luck more than judgement that these two men in particular didn’t lose their lives. They were left with severe injuries leaving them both in hospital for a number of weeks thereafter and with a catalogue of ongoing complications.

“I hope this sentence affords these men and their families a sense of justice of which they can try to rebuild their lives.

“I hope the result also reassures the public that such violent behaviour will not be tolerated, and we will hold offenders to account."

Davey, 26, was handed a 15-year-sentence, but received a third off due to an earlier guilty plea.