McDonald's and Iceland armed robber attacked Leeds housemate and himself days after prison release
A robber who was given an eight-year jail sentence went on to attack a man days after he was released from his sentence, then stabbed himself in the stomach with a broken plate.
Guy Mitchell punched and strangled the man, and even pressed his thumb into his eye during a “delusional” episode at St John’s Hostel in Hyde Park - to where he had been bailed after leaving prison on December 16 last year.
He was given a new 13-month jail sentence at Leeds Crown Court to start immediately, but he has been recalled to finish his previous sentence and will not be freed until late 2026.
As a result, Judge Kate Rayfield told him: “In reality, it [the new sentence] won’t make much difference to you.”
The 34-year-old had approached another resident in the kitchen of the hostel on the morning of December 19 last year and was acting “quite strangely”, the court heard.
The man left the kitchen and went up to his room, but was followed by Mitchell, who asked him if he wanted to drink vodka with him.
When the man declined, Mitchell became aggressive and began shouting at him, demanding the man give him his key back.
The puzzled man explained he did not have Mitchell’s key. Mitchell then barged his way into the man’s room after the victim tried to flee the situation.
He then punched him multiple times to the face. As the victim tried to escape he was knocked to the floor. Mitchell then got on top of him and placed both hands around his neck causing the man to almost lose consciousness.
He then pushed his thumb into his eye, but the man was able to push Mitchell off and run from the room. The police were called and when they arrived, they found Mitchell laid on the kitchen floor with a shard of plate lodged in his stomach.
He claimed he had been stabbed, but later confessed he did it to himself. Having been arrested, he then refused to answer questions during his police interview.
Mitchell has 16 convictions for 28 offences, including the robberies from 2017 when he was given his eight-year jail sentence.
Mitigating, Nick Hammond said that Mitchell suffers with an underlying anxiety disorder, for which he was medicated.
But having been released from prison, an administrative error meant he was only given one of his two medications, which left him unable to sleep and caused him to spiral.
Having been told Mitchell would not be released until late next year to complete his previous sentence, Mr Hammond said Mitchell “wanted to remain in custody until the end of his sentence” so he could recover from his disorder.