Hayling Island Wimpy attempted murder: Accused insists he was trying to stab himself – not his ex-girlfriend

A DISTRAUGHT Wimpy worker denied deliberately plunging a knife repeatedly into his former girlfriend who was left covered in blood.
The Wimpy was at Funland amusement site on Hayling IslandThe Wimpy was at Funland amusement site on Hayling Island
The Wimpy was at Funland amusement site on Hayling Island

Dumped university student Harry Middleton, 21, wept as he recalled the melee with screaming Louise Brindley that saw a 2.5in tomato knife impale her leg three times and chest during a struggle.

Middleton, of Chidham Close, Havant, admitted he was devastated after being jilted by Ms Brindley before the incident in November last year inside the Wimpy kitchen at Funland in Hayling Island.

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He told jurors at Portsmouth Crown Court he intended to take his own life after pulling out the blade, which was ‘pointing towards’ Ms Brindley, before a struggle took place that saw them fall to the ground.

The Wimpy was at Funland amusement site on Hayling IslandThe Wimpy was at Funland amusement site on Hayling Island
The Wimpy was at Funland amusement site on Hayling Island

But bespectacled Middleton was accused of lying about events under cross-examination from prosecutor Simon Jones.

He said: ‘The truth is that the wounds were caused as you were attacking her. The victim said she pushed you away but you stabbed her three times in quick succession after pulling the knife out.’

The defendant denied he intended to harm Ms Brindley but admitted saying he ‘went for her’ and ‘look at what she’s done to me’ in the aftermath.

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He then confessed: ‘The break-up was very upsetting and led to me taking the decision to kill myself. It was hard seeing her (at work) all day.’

Middleton was then quizzed on why fellow worker Natalie Page heard him say he was ‘trying to kill her’. He told jurors she misheard him: ‘I didn’t say that. I can only assume she didn’t hear me correctly. I said “did I just kill her?”

‘All I could see was wounds and blood. I was in total shock. I didn’t know what happened.

‘I pulled the knife out and we froze and that’s when it ended.’

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Workers rushed into the store room before pulling the knife off Middleton, who was punched and kicked while crumpled on the floor as the victim was led away after shouting ‘get him off me’.

Asked why he didn’t just put an end to the struggle after realising Ms Brindley had been stabbed, he said: ‘I was still thinking selfishly about trying to stab myself.’

He added: ‘It all happened so fast. I was trying to get the knife away from her. We were both scared and in the moment she was trying to pull the knife away from herself.’

Middleton denies attempted murder and an alternative charge of wounding with intent.

(Proceeding)