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Girl's attacker jailed for life | Girl's attacker jailed for life |
(20 minutes later) | |
A man who repeatedly stabbed a girl and left her for dead in a Lancashire park has been jailed for life. | A man who repeatedly stabbed a girl and left her for dead in a Lancashire park has been jailed for life. |
Jessica Knight, then 14, was listening to her MP3 player when French national Kristofer Beddar, 21, knifed her about 20 times. | |
She underwent five hours of emergency surgery after passers-by found her in the park in Astley Village, Chorley. | She underwent five hours of emergency surgery after passers-by found her in the park in Astley Village, Chorley. |
Beddar was found guilty of attempted murder at Preston Crown Court and told he would serve a minimum of 12 years. | Beddar was found guilty of attempted murder at Preston Crown Court and told he would serve a minimum of 12 years. |
Judge Anthony Russell QC, Recorder of Preston, said: "On the 21st of January this year for no reason that can be ascertained you attacked Jessica Knight in Astley Park and left her for dead. | |
"This was a frenzied attack with a knife that you habitually carried." | |
Psychological problems | |
Beddar, of Daisy Hill Drive, Adlington, had admitted wounding with intent, but claimed he had no memory of attacking Jessica and had no motive to kill her. | |
He was described in court as a loner with a fiery temper and had downed half a bottle of whisky before the attack. | |
Beddar later confessed to his mother Marion, saying: "Mum, I think it must have been me". She turned him in to the police. | |
He was living with members of his English family at the time of the attack. | |
Jessica, now 15, was walking through the park to meet a friend when the stabbing happened. | |
She was knifed in the chest, neck, stomach and back. | |
The court heard the teenager had been left with "long-term physical and psychological problems". |