Police hunted down a violent offender after he repeatedly stabbed a man during a frenzied knife attack.
The victim suffered around 80 stab wounds and other injuries at the hands of his former friend, Simon McHugh, outside a supermarket in Westdale Lane, Mapperley, Nottingham.
McHugh’s brutal attack on 6 May 2025 left the victim lying in the road before the attacker fled the scene and went on the run.
The incident unfolded after McHugh arrived at the victim’s home and asked him for a lift to his mother’s house.
An altercation between them began within moments, as the vehicle was seen rolling across Westdale Lane.
The car crashed into a wall before both men stumbled out, and McHugh was seen repeatedly knifing the victim as they fought in front of passing traffic.
He escaped by climbing onto a nearby roof and fleeing the scene.
McHugh stole a car after breaking into a home in Burton Joyce early the following morning, telling the startled homeowner he ‘needed help’.
Armed police arrested McHugh after a manhunt.
Investigations revealed that prior to the knife attack, McHugh had tied a woman and her child to a chair in Ripley, Derbyshire, hours before travelling to Nottinghamshire.
The 46-year-old, of Harrogate Road, Nottingham, went on to plead guilty to attempted murder, burglary, and two counts of false imprisonment.
He was jailed for a total of 19 years at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (15 January).
Detectives discovered Paige Tomlinson had assisted McHugh by booking him a taxi to take him to the victim’s address, despite knowing he planned to harm the man.
She also looked after McHugh’s mobile phone when he visited her following the attack, and prior to McHugh’s arrest, and provided a false statement to police.
Tomlinson, aged 34, of Jessops Lane, Gedling, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender and perverting the course of justice.
She was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
The victim’s injuries were initially thought to be life-threatening, and they continue to impact his life.
Detective Sergeant Gemma Patterson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“McHugh’s savage and merciless attack could very easily have killed a man who previously considered him a friend.
“Whatever had gone on between the two men clearly got out of hand, and the presence of a knife escalated the fallout into something far more grave for all parties involved.
“Thankfully, the victim survived the serious injuries he suffered, but the physical and psychological scars continue to profoundly impact his life.
“The attack also took place in a very public setting, in front of a number of onlookers, and it must have been terrifying for them to unwittingly become part of this violent incident.
“I’m grateful to those who stopped to help the victim, and police and other first responders deserve the highest praise for helping save the victim’s life.
“A team of detectives also worked very hard to build a strong case against McHugh and Tomlinson, leaving them with little option other than to plead guilty to these offences.
“McHugh is an extremely dangerous man, so I am pleased he is now behind bars for an extended period of time.”
