Man attacked wife with axe in mental health episode

A man who attacked his wife with an axe, leaving her with a life-changing brain injury, has been made the subject of an indefinite hospital order.

Police were called to mentally ill Joseph Benzie’s remote cottage in Cumbria in the early hours of 2 February 2020, following 999 calls.

In these, Benzie, now 45, spoke of paranoia, stated that he had killed his wife and requested an ambulance, Carlisle Crown Court heard on Monday.

His wife was found in bed, having suffered a deep cut behind her left ear, and she could not recall how the injury had occurred.

She was taken to hospital with skull and facial fractures, where she had surgery and stayed for nine days.

When police arrived at Benzie's home near Grange-over-Sands, they found him stood by the bottom of a staircase, with an axe at the top of it.

He said he had been drinking and had not taken anti-psychotic drugs.

The court heard of Benzie’s unfounded belief that his wife had been having an affair, and phone evidence of an earlier argument between the couple.

Benzie, previously of Witherslack, admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, having initially been deemed unfit to plead.

He had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was suffering from an episode of mental ill health at the time of his attack.

In a moving impact statement, the victim outlined the profound, life-changing impact of a brain injury which was “horrible” to live with.

“My brain will never recover from what Joe did to me. For someone who was supposed to love me and worship the ground I walk on, I just cannot understand why he did what did," she said.

"The issues I have occur from the minute I wake until the minute I go to bed and have another nightmare. I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”

Two doctors said that Benzie should continue to be detained in hospital indefinitely for specialist treatment.

Judge Nicholas Barker concluded that a hospital order and detention requirement should be imposed.

Had he been sentencing Benzie to imprisonment, the term would have been eight years, he noted, concluding that Benzie’s offence was due to the schizophrenia and a failure to take anti-psychotic medication.

Benzie was banned indefinitely from having any contact with his victim.

Follow BBC Cumbria on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].