Samurai swordsman cleared of murder attempt

THE MAN who severed a detective's hand with a samurai sword was cleared at the Old Bailey yesterday of attempted murder.

But Peter Gilchrist, 34, of Tottenham, north London, was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Detective Sergeant Bob Window. He will be sentenced in four weeks' time and was remanded for psychiatric reports.

Det Sgt Window's hand was cut off when he went to Gilchrist's parents' home to investigate a complaint made by his former wife. The court was told that Gilchrist, a warehouseman, had been suffering from a depressive illness.

Gilchrist felt remorse over what he had done and he picked up the hand, put it in a bag and gave it to police. It was packed in frozen vegetables and the officer was flown by helicopter to hospital where the hand was sewn back on.

Gilchrist had denied attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm in October last year.