A JEALOUS ex-boyfriend who stabbed two innocent men he didn't know has been jailed for 15 years.
Police said Christopher O'Brien from Kings Road, Birmingham, was motivated by 'jealousy and rage' when he attacked the two men last year at a house where his ex-girlfriend was living.
O'Brien fled the scene but was arrested days later following a police chase.
He pleaded not guilty despite a video on his phone showing him entering the property on the night of the attack.
Having been found guilty, he was this week sentenced to 15 years for one offence of grievous bodily harm and five years for the second offence of grievous bodily harm.
The sentences will run concurrently.
"It is only by luck that we were not dealing with a murder, the violence shown towards two complete strangers was extreme," said Detective Sergeant Andrew Maguire of West Midlands Police.
Unprovoked attack
The court heard that on the night of October 8, 2023, O'Brien's ex-girlfriend had been enjoying a night out with her sister and two male friends, who were related to each other.
It's believed that O'Brien had gone to the house in Erdington where his ex-girlfriend was living and had been watching her and the friends from the back garden.
Motivated by jealousy, he entered the house and in an unprovoked attack, began stabbing one of the men, who was unknown to him.
The second man tried to come to his relative's aid but O'Brien turned the knife on him, stabbing him too.
The two men, both aged 22 at the time, were seriously injured.
Police pursuit
Police began an investigation to find O'Brien, who had fled the house after the stabbings.
Following lengthy enquiries, they spotted him driving his car in the early hours of October 22 close to the where the incident had taken place.
O'Brien refused to stop and following a pursuit, was boxed in and stopped on Kings Road, Birmingham where he was found to be drunk and driving without a licence or insurance.
He refused to give officers his details and in police interviews answered no comment to all questions.
The 39-year-old was charged and remanded and following a forensic examination of his phone, a video was found of him filming himself entering the house on the night of the attack.
Despite pleading not guilty, he was convicted by a jury and was this Thursday handed the lengthy prison sentence.
'Tried to evade capture'
"O'Brien's motivation was jealousy and rage and he has tried to cover his tracks throughout," added DS Maguire.
"He tried to evade capture, went no comment through his interview and has subjected all involved to a lengthy trial with his not guilty plea.
"I would also like to thank the policing teams that worked hard to bring O'Brien to justice, this was a real team effort.
"We hope that the victims who continue to recover from their injuries will feel that justice has now been served."
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