Hospital pickaxe attacker who yelled 'it's your lucky day' as he attempted to murder two colleagues jailed
30 April 2024, 18:32 | Updated: 30 April 2024, 18:38
A maintenance worker who yelled "it's your lucky day" before attempting to murder two colleagues with a pickaxe and scalpel during an "unprovoked" hospital rampage has been jailed for 31 years.
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Matteo Bottarelli, 44, chased colleagues through the grounds of Central Middlesex Hospital in north-west London, armed with the mattock on June 21 last year.
As colleagues attempted to escape, the worker told one “today is your lucky day” before approaching him from behind and stabbing him in the neck.
Bottarelli then targeted a second man, who was later found collapsed with "multiple head injuries".
Gideon Tesfay was stabbed with a scalpel during the incident, while Trevor McGuire was hit over the head with a mattock, the latter of which resulted in a lifelong brain injury, the court heard.
The incident, which caused the hospital to be evacuated, saw Bottarelli target a number of other colleagues during the rampage, with the maintenance worker also attacking Mr McGuire.
The incident saw Gideon Tesfay and Trevor McGuire, both in their 40s, found with "significant" but non-life-threatening injuries.
The court heard how Bottarelli's line manager, Mark Quigley, was also targeted during the attack but evaded serious injury.
Bottarelli was later found at home after a police manhunt was launched; he was then taken back to the hospital to be treated for self-inflicted injuries.
Appearing at Wood Green Crown Court, Jurors found Bottarelli guilty of two counts of attempted murder and one of attempted grievous bodily harm with intent following a trial at Wood Green Crown Court.
He had previously pleaded guilty to the lesser offences of wounding Mr Tesfay and Mr McGuire with intent to cause them grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing.
Bottarelli had already admitted affray by using or threatening unlawful violence to cause a person to fear for their safety and having an offensive weapon.
Sentencing Bottarelli, Judge Joanna Greenberg KC said: It is likely you were suffering from an underlying psychotic illness for several years.
"I have no doubt that your ingestion of a very large amount of heroin and cocaine on 21 June last year, greater than the quantity you usually took, had an impact.
"You are unable to explain why you attacked work colleagues with whom you had no dispute.
"Mr Maguire has suffered permanent, lifelong, irreversible injuries which has had and will continue to have a substantial effect and long-term effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities, and his ability to work.
"Mr Tesfay has suffered serious scarring and has suffered serious psychological and physical harm.
"I do not regard you as inherently wicked – what you did has not only affected each of your victims, but your own.‘You have ruined your own life."
Speaking after conviction, Met officer Det Con Jacob Eyres, said: "Bottarelli posed a clear threat to his colleagues and to public safety.
"This was an unprovoked attack on people working to help others and it is right that Bottarelli will now face the consequences of his actions."
