Two people have been sentenced to a total of 14½ years in prison after a man was stabbed eight times during a premeditated attack in Plymouth.
Tommy McTighe, 34, of North Down Crescent, Plymouth, received a nine-year sentence, while 35-year-old Gemma Vanstone, of Valletort Road, Plymouth, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years following a trial at Plymouth Crown Court.
The incident occurred on 25 March 2024 in the Stoke area, when the pair lured a man in his 50s out of his home under the guise of a drug deal. McTighe and Vanstone, along with a third unidentified person, armed themselves with weapons and attacked the victim in a rear service lane.
The man was stabbed multiple times and struck with a metal bar, leaving him with serious injuries. He managed to stagger to a nearby road, where a taxi driver found him and called emergency services.
Police later located the attackers’ vehicle and arrested McTighe and Vanstone. Evidence recovered included the weapon, car keys, and drugs. Both denied involvement initially but were convicted of Section 18 GBH wounding with intent, and McTighe was additionally convicted of possessing an offensive weapon and Class A drugs.
Detective Constable Rose stated: “This was an extremely violent and senseless attack. The convictions reflect our zero-tolerance approach to knife and violent crime and demonstrate the dedication of all officers involved.”
