Taras Voinovich, aged 70, of Islip Road, Oxford, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 12 years at Oxford Crown Court on Monday 26 June.
A jury unanimously found him guilty of two counts of wounding with intent and one count each of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm and criminal damage at the same court on 11 January, following a trial.
At around 8.30am on 28 July last year, Voinovich attended the home of a man in his sixties, with whom he had a grievance with, in Aston Street.
Voinovich threw a brick through the window, causing the victim to come outside.
The victim asked Voinovich if he had seen anything, to which he got no coherent reply.
Voinovich started casually rummaging in his backpack and, without warning, took a sheathed axe out of his bag and hit the victim repeatedly in the head.
The victim fell to the floor, where Voinovich continued to attack him.
The victim’s partner, a woman in her sixties, witnessed the assault and ran to her husband’s aid, only for Voinovich to attack her too.
Members of the public also witnessed the attack, including another man in his sixties who rugby tackled Voinovich and disarmed him.
Other members of the public then followed Voinovich as he made his escape, with one trying to grab him and managing to take a photo of him as he left.
Officers attended and arrested Voinovich moments later.
The first victim suffered multiple fractures eye sockets and cuts to the head, his partner suffered serious injuries and the other man suffered minor injuries.
Voinovich was charged on 29 July.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Fritha Harvey, of the Priority Crime Team, based at St Aldate’s police station, said: “This was a terrifying and horrific incident for all involved that could have been even worse if not for the bravery of the victim’s wife and the members of the public.
“Response officers attended the location soon after the attack, locating and arresting the suspect around the corner.
“The investigation was then swiftly taken on by the Priority Crime Team and investigated, leading to Taras Voinovich being brought to justice.”
