GP surgery knife-man loses appeal

Joseph Ronald Cocks, 25, of Bashford Way, Worth, had an appointment at the Pound Hill Medical Group surgery, in Crawley Lane, on December 20 2013.

But ‘increasingly paranoid’ Cocks, who was high on drugs, startled fearful patients and staff in the busy waiting room when he produced a six to eight-inch kitchen knife. He told witnesses, ‘I am going to stab you all’, Judge Julian Goose QC told London’s Appeal Court on Friday (January 15). A doctor was stabbed in the leg and another member of staff was injured before Cocks kicked a door, smashing the glass, as he left.

He admitted two counts of threatening with a bladed article in a public place as well as wounding with intent, assault causing actual bodily harm, affray and criminal damage.

Cocks was jailed for four years and eight months at Lewes Crown Court on November 21 2014.

He was ordered to serve an extra two years and four months on licence after his release because the judge considered him a danger to the public. Lawyers for Cocks argued he was wrongly condemned as dangerous and that his punishment was far too tough Judges were told he was a ‘decent, kind and helpful young man’ who only had one previous conviction for battery and had ‘genuine and deeply-felt remorse’ for what he did.

Dismissing the appeal, however, Judge Goose, sitting with Lady Justice Sharp and Mr Justice Dingemans, said: “We see no merit in the grounds of appeal.”

“We are entirely satisfied that an extended sentence was approriate in this case.”