Judge Slams Thug for “Terrifying” Crime—Says It’s One of the Worst He’s Seen!

A man threatened to kill his sister by holding an angle grinder to her neck before striking her over the head with it in a terrifying assault. Luke Devine launched into a furious attack on his sibling just two days after their mum had died, even threatening her children in a horrifying outburst.

He was arrested later in a nearby cemetery, still carrying the angle grinder. In court, the judge told him he “couldn’t think of many things more terrifying” than what he had done, forcing his sister to tell her young children that her injuries were from a car crash to spare them the trauma.

Chelsea Devine had gone to her dad’s house in Boundary Road, Bidston, at around 8.45 am on November 24 last year, expecting to accompany him to the vets. Instead, she was met by her brother in the front garden, where he immediately lashed out, reported Liverpool Echo.

Prosecutor Gerald Baxter told Liverpool Crown Court that Devine struck her in the head before repeatedly punching and kicking her as she lay on the floor. A neighbour, Anna Page, ran out to help after hearing her screams and saw the 37-year-old attacker dragging his sister by the hair.

At one point, he grabbed an angle grinder and used it to destroy her house and car keys before tossing away the remains. Through tears, Chelsea pleaded with him: “Luke, what are you doing? Think of the kids.” But he chillingly responded, “Your kids are getting it next. Get your fella down here, I’ll kill him.”

The violence escalated further as Devine forced her to the ground again, this time pressing the angle grinder to her neck and threatening to kill her. Chelsea begged him to stop, but he then struck her over the head with the heavy tool, knocking her unconscious for about 15 seconds.

With help from Ms Page, she managed to get inside as Devine stormed off. But he wasn’t finished. He returned moments later, pacing up and down the street before jumping onto the bonnet of her BMW and stamping on the windscreen, causing extensive damage.

Police later found him in a cemetery, still in possession of the weapon. In a heartbreaking statement, Chelsea said the attack had “completely broken” her: “At the end of the day, he’s my brother and I cared for him. A week before, I spent £500 making sure he had clothes and a tent while he was homeless.” She added, “I’m losing a brother, which makes this ten times harder. No family should ever go through this.”

Devine, who has 30 previous convictions for 43 offences, had been given a suspended prison sentence in 2020 for another assault. His defence barrister, Bernice Campbell, told the court he was dealing with mental health issues and had been affected by the death of their mother.

The court was also shown Ring doorbell footage of the altercation. Campbell argued that Chelsea had approached him first and was verbally abusive, but admitted her client “flew into a rage” when she accused him of still smoking cannabis, something he denied.

Devine pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, making threats to kill, possession of an offensive weapon, and criminal damage. Appearing via video link from HMP Liverpool, he was jailed for two years and given a three-year restraining order.

Judge David Swinnerton told him: “Your problem is that you have a very short temper and are prone to aggression and anger very quickly. I have no doubt that emotions in your family were running high, but nothing justifies what you did.

“I cannot think of many things more terrifying than having an angle grinder held to your neck. You hit her hard over the head with it, using it as a blunt weapon. Her feelings are a mixture of fear and love for you, and that makes this even sadder.”