Man jailed for 20 years for attempting to murder his GP with a crossbow

'You killed my father, I am going to kill you', Mark Waterfall said before firing

Mark Waterfall, 46, recorded his anger in a number of videos (Hertfordshire Police)

A man who who tried to kill his GP with a crossbow has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Mark Waterfall, 46, said ”you killed my father, I am going to kill you”, as he shot Dr Gary Griffith at Suthergrey House Medical Centre in Watford.

Dr Griffith survived the attack because he had untucked his shirt and it had gathered around his abdomen, allowing him to pull the arrow out of his stomach.

Waterfall had recorded his anger in a number of videos after his father, Terrence, died of lung cancer the day after Dr Griffith arranged for him to go to hospital.

He was found guilty of attempted murder on 7 January.

Martin Mulgrew, from the CPS, said: “Mark Waterfall was intent on killing the GP when he went to his surgery.

“We were able to present the court with evidence which showed his anger and growing irrational hatred towards the doctor and other medical professionals.

“And there was no doubt that the crossbow Waterfall chose was capable of inflicting fatal injury.

“The doctor was extremely lucky to escape with his life that day after being shot at such close range. And despite his injuries, he showed great courage in putting the safety of others before his own, following the defendant out of the surgery to persuade him to hand himself in.”