Former marine jailed for drug-fuelled attack

A former Royal Marine who attacked and injured a father and son with a knife during a drug-induced psychosis has been jailed.

Samuel Hughes, 46, latterly of Brentfield Way, Penrith, broke into the home of a couple and their adult son with the weapon before trying to attack the mother.

The father and son were cut by the knife while restraining him and both required stitches.

Hughes admitted wounding them with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and attempted wounding of the mother, and was sentenced to eight years in prison at Carlisle Crown Court.

Prosecutor Robert Hall told the court Hughes was described by the family as "growling or grunting" and "almost spitting and foaming at the mouth".

He added the mother knew Hughes and said he was "normally a really nice guy" and his behaviour was "out of character".

The court heard in the days leading up to his attack, Hughes had consumed vast quantities of cocaine, pregabalin - for which there was no prescription - and alcohol.

After the attack, he told Cumbria Police he had been on "the world's biggest bender".

Hughes had joined the Royal Marines aged 18 and served on a number of tours, the court heard.

After being discharged, he joined the French Foreign Legion (FFL) and was deployed to Paris in the wake of the 2015 Charlie Hebdo terrorist attacks.

He was also discharged from the FFL having absented himself amid a period of cocaine use, resulting in admission to a psychiatric hospital.

Hughes had since carried out decorated British embassy security work in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Ukraine, worked to assist the National Crime Agency, and had returned to Penrith to work as a recycling operative for Cumbria Waste.

Defence barrister Josh Normanton, mitigating, said: "He is deeply sorry and acknowledges he is to be punished."

However, judge Nicholas Barker concluded Hughes posed a danger of causing serious harm in the future.

"Your willingness to use drugs in a grossly excessive way is not something that I can disregard."

In an impact statement, the father said: "I used to feel safe within my own community, it has transformed the way in which we view our home as being safe.

"It is a huge psychological impact. I will always have to be on guard. This incident has changed my life forever."

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