A man has been found guilty following a trial in court of attempted murder after he stabbed a man and his ex-partner in Cheadle.

Anthony Lovatt, 68, of Cheadle, was convicted at Stafford Crown Court today (Monday 14 April). The jury found him guilty of one count of attempted murder after he stabbed a man multiple times. He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of wounding with intent and two counts of possessing a knife in a public place.

Lovatt turned up at the front door of a house on 8 November last year. He had followed the victims back from a local pub and was holding a knife in each hand. 

When the man inside the house opened the door, Lovatt stabbed him three times in the neck, chest and abdomen. He then stabbed the woman in the chest and held a knife to her throat.

Following a struggle with the woman, Lovatt was pushed away. He left down the street holding both knives in his hands.

We acted rapidly to find him. He was arrested at a house in the area and told officers where he hid both of the knives. They were later found in an alleyway between Harbourne Crescent and Windy Arbour.

Detectives worked hard to gather all of the evidence to build a case file against Lovatt for his vicious attack, as well as supporting both victims as much as possible.

The man who he attacked needed an operation in hospital to help with his injuries.

Lovatt has now been remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing date at Stafford Crown Court on 8 July.

PC Eve Loach, from our Criminal Investigations Department, said: “This was a particularly violent attack that will no doubt have a lasting emotional effect on both victims.

“People in Staffordshire responsible for serious violence and domestic abuse are being robustly targeted by officers and detectives across the force. We’re determined to seek the toughest possible punishment in court and to support victims as much as we can.”