A 71-year-old man has been jailed for attempting to murder his son-in-law in front of his three-year-old daughter.

Chacko Abraham Thenakarayil, 71, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court this morning where he was jailed for eight years after being found guilty of attempted murder.

The victim was sat at the dining table in the house on May 6 last year, with his three-year old daughter sat next to him, when his father-in-law Thenakaryil approached him from behind carrying a meat cleaver.

Thenakaryil, of Hornbeam Gardens, Chelmsford, then hit the victim on the back of the head with the cleaver, resulting in serious injuries. He managed to turn around and remove the cleaver from Thenakaryil, who then grabbed a knife and attempted to stab him.

The son-in-law managed to run from the house and call to the neighbours for help.

When neighbours came to help, they found Thenakaryil inside the home holding a third knife and implying to witnesses that he intended to kill his son-in-law, saying “I’m not finished.” 

The victim was taken to hospital after losing around 500ml of blood and sustaining a fracture to his skull.

He said: “I still live in the same address where the incident took place and I regularly have flashbacks of the incident.

“I dream about my father-in-law coming to my house with a knife and attacking me. To help me sleep better, I have put a lock on my bedroom door. I also had cameras installed as I worry that my father-in-law has escaped prison and will come attack me.”

After being charged, a jury found Thenakaryil guilty of attempted murder following a two-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court on June 26.

Sentencing, Judge Morgan said that Thenakarayil’s offence was a “spontaneous attempt to kill for wholly selfish reasons to a man who demonstrated kindness as did your daughter.”

Detective Sergeant Louis Moore said: “The assault in May last year will stay with the the victim for the rest of his life.

“Thenakaryil’s actions have had a devastating impact on his family and he is lucky to be alive.

“I hope that today’s sentence gives a small form of closure and that he can start to move forward with his life.”