Man sentenced for stabbing mother in bid for attention

Judge Robert Altham of the Preston Crown Court stated during a sentencing hearing on July 9th that 23-year-old Bartosz Pokorski stabbed his mother 17 times because he had “a twisted belief that if he [killed her] the world would take notice of him.”

On January 11, Pokortski called his mother into his bedroom in their shared flat to look at some photographs.  When she entered the room, he was found to be holding a large knife and lunged at her in a "frenzied and brutal attack."

His mother, identified only as Mrs. Pokortski was stabbed 17 times in the head, face, and body.  During the attack, Pokortski was reportedly shouting, “just die you b***h, when are you going to bleed to death?”

Mrs. Pokortski played dead in an effort to end the attack and managed to escape when her son went to the restroom.  Due to her weakened state however, she collapsed in a corridor outside of their residence.

When police arrived at the scene, they found Pokortski outside covered in blood where he reportedly told them, “I’ve stabbed someone. Arrest me.”

His mother was airlifted to a hospital where she remained for a month before being discharged.

Pokortski pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted murder, but said, “I understand I am responsible for the injuries caused to my mother however I do not believe I had legal intent due to my mental health.”

In the days leading up to the attack, Pokortski said to have been behaving strangely, including shouting in the streets on his way home.  He allegedly believed that his mother was trying to have him put into a psychiatric hospital, but she denies the allegation.

Pokortski is said to have previously suffered from depression, but never showed signs of violence.

Judge Altham handed down a sentence of 8 years in prison with an additional 5 on license, describing Pokortski as a dangerous offender that posed a significant risk to the public

"I can not ignore the fact that this was a frenzied and brutal attack" Judge Altham said.  “Despite the unusual circumstances of the case there is no basis on which I can conclude that the defendant’s culpability is reduced by a psychiatric condition. There is simply no evidence.

“It seems to be a mixture of sudden rage at the world in general, and particularly his mother, and a case of attention seeking - a twisted belief that if he did it, the world would take notice of him.”

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