Man jailed for life after stabbing a woman he was infatuated with and two men in Dartford town center, near Spital Street McDonald’s.
Man jailed for life after stabbing a woman he was infatuated with and two men in Dartford town center, near Spital Street McDonald’s.
Dartford Knifeman Jailed After Stabbing Woman and Two Men Near McDonald’s
The woman was with her partner and a friend when another friend called, warning that the man was in town and had threatened to kill them if she stayed. The woman then saw the man approach with a bag and pull a knife from it. He stabbed her in the stomach and arm.
Her partner tried to protect her but the man stabbed him repeatedly. As the couple’s friend tried to intervene, he was stabbed in the back. The man continued stabbing the woman’s partner, even in the face.
All three victims ran to a McDonald’s where staff locked the doors to keep the attacker out. The man ran away. Emergency services arrived quickly and took the three victims to the hospital; the partner’s injuries were very serious.
Police found Eric Da Silva-Soares, aged 29, who had traveled north to avoid arrest and sent the woman a text the next day admitting his actions were awful. He was caught at Edinburgh Airport trying to leave the country.
Da Silva-Soares pleaded guilty to attempted murder and admitted to unlawful wounding. On March 7, the judge sentenced him to life imprisonment, calling him a dangerous offender who must serve almost 13 years before parole.
One victim, Anna Gleicy Helrigle de Brito, had her family speak about the attack while a local shop owner described it as shocking. Emma Lawry, the police investigator, said it was an unprovoked assault on young people in Dartford perpetrated by a man who intended to cause harm and inflicted terrible injuries.
The detective also mentioned the lasting impact of the assault. She praised the victims’ courage and stated that Da Silva-Soares is a dangerous person and prison is the right place for him.
The woman was with her partner and a friend when another friend called, warning that the man was in town and had threatened to kill them if she stayed. The woman then saw the man approach with a bag and pull a knife from it. He stabbed her in the stomach and arm.
Her partner tried to protect her but the man stabbed him repeatedly. As the couple’s friend tried to intervene, he was stabbed in the back. The man continued stabbing the woman’s partner, even in the face.
All three victims ran to a McDonald’s where staff locked the doors to keep the attacker out. The man ran away. Emergency services arrived quickly and took the three victims to the hospital; the partner’s injuries were very serious.
Police found Eric Da Silva-Soares, aged 29, who had traveled north to avoid arrest and sent the woman a text the next day admitting his actions were awful. He was caught at Edinburgh Airport trying to leave the country.
Da Silva-Soares pleaded guilty to attempted murder and admitted to unlawful wounding. On March 7, the judge sentenced him to life imprisonment, calling him a dangerous offender who must serve almost 13 years before parole.
One victim, Anna Gleicy Helrigle de Brito, had her family speak about the attack while a local shop owner described it as shocking. Emma Lawry, the police investigator, said it was an unprovoked assault on young people in Dartford perpetrated by a man who intended to cause harm and inflicted terrible injuries.
The detective also mentioned the lasting impact of the assault. She praised the victims’ courage and stated that Da Silva-Soares is a dangerous person and prison is the right place for him.