Brighton machete attacker left victim bleeding heavily

A Brighton man struck someone he knew with a machete time and again during a violent attack in a flat in Whitehawk, a jury was told today (Tuesday 9 January).

William Miller, 43, of Whitehawk Close, denies wounding Ryan Greer, 35, of nearby Graffham Close, with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm (GBH).

Jonathan Atkinson, prosecuting, said that Miller got into an argument with Mr Greer over a charging cable and ended up hacking at him with the blade.

Mr Greer managed to flee Miller’s flat but was found in the road drenched in his own blood with wounds to his head, back and hand.

He had tried calling the police on 999 twice to say that he was “bleeding out”, Mr Atkinson told the jury.

A neighbour called an ambulance while her partner put him in the recovery position, fearing that he was choking.

The attack happened at about 12.30pm on Friday 14 July last year and afterwards Miller disappeared until Sussex Police appealed through the media for help to find him.

He then turned himself in to the police in Brighton and told them that he had acted in self-defence.

Mr Atkinson said: “This defendant violently assaulted a man called Ryan Greer, who was known to him, following an argument at the defendant’s flat.

“The defendant armed himself with a machete and repeatedly struck Mr Greer with the machete to the head and back.

“Mr Greer was bleeding heavily.

“He managed to make his way from the property and tried to call the police before a number of members of the public came to his aid and called an ambulance.

“At around 12.30pm a number of residents of Whitehawk Close, in Brighton, became aware of a male lying in the road.

“He was bleeding heavily and crying for help.

“Mr Greer was covered in blood from several wounds to his head and back and a further stab wound to his hand.

“Police received two 999 calls. He believed that he was bleeding out but it was difficult for the call handler to ascertain exactly what had happened.”

Mr Atkinson told the jury that a man could be heard shouting aggressively in the background, telling him to get out of the property.

Miller threatened to remove Mr Greer from his flat “piece by piece”.

He told the police that Mr Greer had punched him before grabbing him around the neck, saying that he was being choked and felt that he couldn’t breathe.

Miller tried to poke Mr Greer in the eye before grabbing the machete, Mr Atkinson said, adding: “He began to strike Mr Greer and this succeeded.”

Even when Mr Greer was on the floor, Mr Atkinson said, Miller maintained that “he might still be under attack”.

Miller told police that he might have used words to the effect of “I want to chop you up” but that was merely said to try to intimidate him.

The jury was warned by Judge Gary Lucie that the jury bundle contained graphic photographs of Mr Greer’s injuries.

Mr Atkinson said that the police had also taken pictures of Miller who had “some scratch marks to his hand and some scratch marks behind his ear”.

There was no sign of any bruising to his neck or throat.

Mr Atkinson said that, however the incident had started, the use of the machete “was not and could not have been in reasonable self-defence”.

He said: “The force used by the defendant was excessive, going far beyond anything that could reasonably be called self-defence.”

Syam Soni, defending, told the jury that Mr Greer had first grabbed Miller by the throat and the defendant had acted only in self-defence.

Mr Soni said: “The defence’s case is that he was acting at all times in self-defence. He was attacked in an unprovoked manner by Ryan Greer.”

All his actions after that point, Mr Soni said, were in self-defence “because he feared for his life”.

The trial continues.