Van Driver Stabs Friend in Rat-Run Road Rage
Alex Crane, 24, picked up a mate in his van near Margaretting Road, Writtle, on the night of Monday 17 July last year. But the journey took a deadly twist.
Shocking Attack After Van Crashes
Moments after the van swerved off the road and smashed into a ditch, witnesses saw the victim staggering along the road. Quick-thinking passersby rushed the injured man to hospital.
Crane had plunged a knife deep into his friend’s back, stabbing through his lung, diaphragm, and into his spleen. The victim’s wounds were life-threatening, requiring emergency surgery and a blood transfusion.
Victim Survives But Faces Lifelong Struggles
Thankfully, the victim pulled through. But he still suffers breathing problems and will need medication for life.
Crane’s Failed Cover-Up and Conviction
The following early morning, Crane called the police falsely claiming his van was stolen. Officers arrested him the next day at his caravan park home in Oak Lane, Billericay.
The victim said Crane, once considered a friend, stabbed him without warning. It emerged Crane was driven by a delusional belief the victim was involved with his girlfriend.
Despite overwhelming evidence, Crane denied wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. A jury at Chelmsford Crown Court convicted him unanimously on 25 January.
On 31 May, Crane was sentenced to an extended term of 10 years behind bars plus two years on licence.
