Knife Attack in Boots Shakes Quiet Kendal
James Smith, 29, from Collinfield, Kendal, faced Carlisle Crown Court today after admitting a brutal knife attack inside a Boots store. The shocking incident unfolded on January 18, 2023, and involved wounding with intent and carrying a blade in public.
Old Friends Turned Foes Over Money Dispute
Smith and the victim, once friends from college, had a messy falling out over unpaid rent. The victim had kindly offered Smith a place to stay last October for £50 a week. But Smith quit the arrangement in mid-January, refusing to pay six weeks’ rent owed.
On the afternoon of the attack, the pair bumped into each other at Boots in Stricklandgate, Kendal. The victim asked again for the cash he was owed. Smith not only refused but cruelly mocked the man’s recent bereavement.
Violent Clash Caught on CCTV
The argument quickly turned physical when the victim punched Smith. Smith grabbed him in a headlock but failed to bring him down. As the victim tried to walk away, Smith pulled out a flick knife and lunged.
- Smith swung the knife six times aiming at the victim’s hip, chest, and face.
- Three stabs hit their target — hip, near the shoulder, and face.
- The other three attacks missed narrowly.
- Shoppers and staff watched in horror as Smith stood by calmly while the victim bled heavily on the floor.
Smith then fled through a rear exit, but police and paramedics quickly arrived. Smith was spotted and arrested moments later, still carrying the flick knife.
Acting DI Issues Stark Warning
“Any assault involving a knife has the potential to end in tragedy and loss of life. This violent, senseless attack could easily have resulted in death,” said Acting Detective Inspector Lee Brumpton. “There is absolutely no excuse for leaving home armed with a weapon in Cumbria, one of the safest places to live and work.”
The victim was airlifted to hospital with serious wounds that thankfully were not life-threatening. After multiple stitches, he has since been discharged.
Smith refused to speak in police interviews but admitted the charges in court. The court will now decide his sentence.
