A 25-year-old Redruth man been sentenced to 17 years imprisonment for attempted murder after breaking into a Pool home and stabbing a 16-year-old 18 times with a kitchen knife as he lay asleep.

Aaron Odgers, of Southgate Street, was found guilty on Friday of the attempted murder of a 16-year-old boy. He was also found guilty of the intentional wounding of the boy’s mother, who Odgers stabbed in the face as he tried to leave their house in Pool in the early hours of June 23.

The boy was attacked as he lay asleep in bed and stabbed 18 times with a large kitchen knife.

Investigating officer DC Julian Lewis said: “This was an unprovoked and seemingly motiveless attack on two defenceless victims, in their home, in the middle of the night.

“There was a shocking level of violence, which has had a devastating impact on the family. Not only did they receive serious, and in the young boy’s case, life-threatening injuries, they also suffered significant emotional and mental harm. They then went through the ordeal again as they bravely relived the incident in court.”

The judge at Truro Crown Court praised the ambulance call operator who took the 999 call for her calm professionalism; she kept the boy’s mother on the line for several minutes until police and paramedics arrived and obtained information that was vital to the police investigation and subsequent prosecution.

DC Lewis echoed the comments, adding: “I extend praise to the paramedics and police officers whose prompt action on the night of the attack may well have saved the young boy’s life.”