Joseph Louis injured a resident and carer

A man has been sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for attacking two people with a machete at a home for elderly residents in Ealing.

Joseph Louis, 75 of Ealing was found guilty at Harrow Crown Court on Friday, 12 September of two counts of Section 18 - wounding with intent.

On Tuesday, 21 January, Joseph Louis who was resident in a sheltered housing dwelling in Ealing, attacked two women, a resident and a carer, with a machete as they waited for the lift on the ground floor.

Louis approached the victims wielding a large machete. He swung it at the women and as the 64-year-old put her hand up to protect herself, she took a blow to the hand causing a severe cut to the palm. She managed to get away and stumble outside where a member of the public came to her aid and called for an ambulance.

Louis struck out at the 51-year-old woman, she put her hands up to protect herself and was hit twice with the machete. As blood started to pour from her wrist, she ran upstairs to get away from him. He followed her but she managed to lock herself away in a room before calling police.

When Police arrived at the scene, they spoke to the victim who had managed to get out of the building and was receiving treatment in the back of the ambulance to establish what had happened. They entered the building and followed a trail of blood up the stairwell to a room where the second victim was. Both victims gave police a named suspect and warned them that he was still in the building.

Officers made a search of the building and found the suspect standing in the downstairs hallway where they arrested him. They carried out a search of his flat and seized a large meat cleaver. They took Louis in for questioning but he refused to comment throughout his entire interview. Despite denying the attack, they charged him with two counts of section 18 - wounding with intent and remanded him in custody.

Both victims were taken to hospital where they were treated for their injuries. The 51-year-old victim had extensive damage to the tendons and nerves in her wrist, which needed to be operated on. She will never have the full use of her hand again. The 64-year-old victim received treatment for a deep laceration to her hand.

Investigating officer DC Talat Taj said: "This was a horrific, violent attack on two people for no reason. During his trial, Louis denied causing any injury to the victims and claimed that someone else had attacked them. I am delighted for the victims that the jury returned a guilty verdict and Louis was given the sentence that he deserved."

26th September 2014