Plastic surgeon guilty of attempting to murder fellow doctor he ‘hated’

A plastic surgeon has been found guilty of attempting to murder a fellow doctor he wanted “out of the way” by stabbing him after a thwarted plan to set his house alight.

Jurors deliberated for more than 12 hours at Leicester Crown Court, sitting in Loughborough, before finding Peter Brooks, 61, guilty of knifing Graeme Perks and dousing the ground floor of his house with petrol with intent to set it on fire.

It can now be reported that Brooks was “voluntarily absent” from his month-long trial because he was on hunger strike and said he would “rather be dead than incarcerated”.

He also sacked his lawyers before the trial and was unrepresented in the case.

The consultant, specialising in burns and plastics, was convicted on Monday of two counts of attempted murder – one for the intended use of fire and the other for the stabbing – attempted arson with intent to endanger life, and possession of a knife in a public place.

The court heard he cycled through snowy conditions to Mr Perks’ home in Halam, near Southwell, Nottinghamshire, in the early hours of January 14 2021, during a Covid lockdown, wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, petrol, matches and a knife.

The jury was told that Mr Perks, a consultant plastic surgeon, provided evidence in disciplinary proceedings against Brooks, who faced potentially losing his job with Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

When opening the prosecution’s case, Tracy Ayling KC had told the jury it was “clear that the defendant hated Graeme Perks” and wanted him “out of the way”.

Mr Perks, who was 65 at the time, had retired the month before the attack but suffered “extremely life-threatening” injuries to his liver, intestines and pancreas, and was given a 95% chance of death, the court was told.

The victim woke up when Brooks smashed through his conservatory, and went downstairs where his feet “felt a bit damp” from the petrol before he felt a “blow to his body”, the jury heard.

The court was told Brooks had also thrown petrol up the stair walls while Mr Perks’ wife and youngest son were sleeping upstairs.

The defendant was found asleep on a garden bench later that morning when he was taken to hospital for injuries to his hand, and was arrested.

His hunger strike could not be reported throughout the trial and the jury were told not to speculate about his absence from the dock.

He appeared in court via video-link for the first time in the trial from HMP Norwich on April 1, in the absence of the jury, and told Mr Justice Pepperall he wanted to defend himself, that he did not have “sufficient time to prepare” for the trial, and wanted a four-week adjournment.

Brooks, who could be seen lying on the floor during his court appearance because sitting in his wheelchair made him “feel unwell”, said: “I would rather be dead than in prison so I continued with my hunger strike. I have had enough of being in prison.

“I don’t particularly want to die but if my choice is between incarceration and death, I would rather be dead than incarcerated.”

Brooks, formerly of Landseer Road, Southwell, said his autism may have made it more likely that he went on hunger strike and added that someone in hospital said he “may be suffering from anorexia”.

Ms Ayling responded to Brooks’ submissions and said he was “manipulating the court process”, and that the court had “bent over backwards” to maintain his rights in the trial.

The judge agreed to adjourn the trial for 48 hours for Brooks to give evidence, but he became upset and said he was “not well enough” to do so at short notice.

The court heard he “asked to be taken back to his cell” and refused to participate further in proceedings.

Mr Justice Pepperall ruled that on “no fewer than eight occasions” since 2021 Brooks had “used hunger strikes or the threat of some other self-harm to achieve some advantage”.

Brooks’ convictions follow a four-year series of legal hearings, including a mis-trial and seven other aborted trial dates.

He put forward numerous possible defences, including self-defence and lack of intent, but never gave evidence directly to a jury.

His first trial, in July 2022, had to be adjourned because he was suffering from a medical complication of radiotherapy, which required surgery.

The judge thanked jurors for their service in “particularly unusual circumstances” and excused them from jury service for five years.

Manjeet Shehmar, medical director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We have been following the case of Mr Brooks closely and respect the decision made in court today.

“We would like to offer our sympathies to those who were affected by Mr Brooks’ actions, including Mr Perks and his family, and other colleagues from within the Trust.”

The trust said Brooks was first suspended in 2014, but his contract was terminated in January 2021, and during that time there were some periods when the suspension was removed but Brooks was not on active duty as a doctor.

Brooks, who is also known by the first name Jonathan, is expected to attend his sentencing at the same court on June 3.

Rachael Dean, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “Peter Brooks committed an act of extreme violence, attempting to murder a highly respected colleague.

“This was a planned, calculated attack, in which Brooks showed he was determined to kill his former boss.

“Since committing these atrocious acts, Brooks has sought to evade responsibility by any means. Today, justice has caught up with him and he must now face the consequences of his criminal actions.

“His victim was fortunate to escape with his life and his whole family were in danger from Brooks’ inexplicable actions.

“Despite the physical and emotional trauma they have endured, they have returned to tell the court their story. This has been a long process and I hope that today’s conviction will help with their continued recovery from this ordeal.”

Detective Inspector Matt Scott, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This was a vicious and calculating attack that very nearly cost a wholly innocent man his life.

“Our contention has always been that Brooks set off that morning with a very clear intention in mind, to fatally injure his victim.

“I am pleased that, having heard all the available evidence, the trial jury agreed and hope that today’s verdict provides at least some degree of comfort to the victim and his family.

“Over the last four years he and his family have been through an extremely distressing ordeal and I would like to thank them for the enormous courage and dignity they have shown throughout this process.”