A Gloucester man has been found guilty of murder after a brutal knife attack that left one dead and two seriously injured. Kane Kotwica, 39, from Bibury Road, was convicted at Bristol Crown Court of the fatal stabbing of 53-year-old Matthew Cainey.
Knife Attack Unfolded in Gloucester Flat
The horrific incident happened on the morning of 28 May at a Bedford Street flat. Kotwica had been inside with Mr Cainey, two other men, and two women when an argument broke out between Kotwica and one of the men.
Kotwica grabbed a kitchen knife and threatened the man, but one of the women took the knife off him and told him to leave. However, Kotwica stayed nearby, roaming the streets for over an hour before returning to the flat armed with a knife hidden in his hoody pocket.
Fatal Stab and Serious Injuries Caught on Camera
When Kotwica was let back in by one of the women and Mr Cainey, he immediately stabbed Mr Cainey once in the chest in the flat’s hallway. The wound was fatal. Two men tried to restrain Kotwica and were seriously wounded in the struggle — one stabbed in the chest requiring life-saving surgery, the other suffered a deep neck wound.
The brutal attack was caught on a doorbell camera from a neighbouring flat. CCTV also recorded Kotwica fleeing the scene and disposing of the knife down a drain. The knife was later recovered by police.
Trial Outcome and Next Steps
Kotwica was arrested nearby by armed officers and charged with murder and two attempted murders. He denied the charges, claiming self-defence, but a unanimous jury found him guilty of murder and two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent. He was cleared of attempted murder charges.
Kotwica remains in custody and is set to be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Wednesday 10 December.
Gloucestershire Police praised the Major Crime Investigation Team for their work on the case.
