PHILLIP GOODWIN'S BRUTAL STABBING AT BEVERLEY RACECOURSE SHOCKS HULL

A violent assault unfolded at Beverley Racecourse, where Phillip Goodwin, a 37-year-old boxer from Hull, carried out a savage stabbing that left a man with life-threatening injuries. The incident was triggered by Goodwin’s discovery of a Facebook photograph showing his former partner at the races, an image that ignited a fierce jealousy within him.

Goodwin, who resides on Kelderdale Close in Kingswood, traveled to confront his ex-partner, who was living in a caravan at the Withernsea Sands Holiday Park. His anger intensified when he learned that the man in the photograph was sitting outside with her. This confrontation quickly escalated into a violent altercation, with Goodwin pulling out a Stanley knife from his pocket and attacking the victim repeatedly.

According to Michael Greenhalgh, the prosecutor at Hull Crown Court, the victim had been caring for the woman’s children while she was at work. The two had been friends, and she returned home around 5 pm, preparing a meal for herself and the children, who were watching television. Later that night, at approximately 11:55 pm, the victim and his partner were sitting outside the caravan under an awning when Goodwin appeared and approached them. His ex-partner confronted him with a blunt remark, asking, “what the f**k are you doing here?” but Goodwin did not respond. Instead, he pushed past her and immediately targeted the victim.

In the chaos that ensued, Goodwin attempted to attack the man, but during the struggle, he fell into a pram where the youngest child was sleeping. Despite the victim’s efforts to de-escalate the situation and remove Goodwin from the scene, Goodwin launched a brutal attack, stabbing the victim multiple times with the Stanley knife, hitting him in the back and head. The assault was so severe that the knife blade became lodged between the victim’s skull and brain, necessitating emergency surgery to remove it. The victim sustained five stitches on his head and fifteen on his back, with the injuries described as extremely serious.

Goodwin only ceased his attack when his older daughter, awakened by the commotion, told him to stop. Recognizing the gravity of his actions, he then fled the scene as emergency services and police arrived. The victim was rushed to hospital, where surgeons had to perform life-saving procedures to remove the broken blade and treat his wounds.

Police apprehended Goodwin the following day. He subsequently pleaded guilty to charges of wounding with intent. During the court proceedings, his defense lawyer, Richard Thompson, highlighted that Goodwin had no prior criminal record and acted in a moment of madness. The lawyer explained that Goodwin was overwhelmed by frustration over limited access to his children and that he carried the knife as part of his work, not as a weapon intended for violence. Thompson expressed remorse on Goodwin’s behalf, stating that he was genuinely sorry for his actions and that his temper had gotten the better of him.

However, Judge Simon Jack described the attack as “appalling” and sentenced Goodwin to six and a half years in prison. The judge emphasized the severity of the injuries inflicted, noting that the victim suffered multiple stab wounds, including a penetrating injury to the skull, which required surgical intervention. The judge remarked that the consequences of the attack had been profoundly serious for the victim, underscoring the brutality of the assault and the lasting impact it would have on his life.