A dangerous offender who repeatedly stabbed a vulnerable young man after luring him to his girlfriend’s room at a Spalding hotel was jailed for life by a judge.
Danny Lodge, 25, knifed the victim three times after taking him to the Travelodge room where his partner Leanne Thornton, 43, was living at the Travelodge at Springfields Outlet Centre.
Following the attack Lodge told professionals in prison that “he wished to kill someone,” Lincoln Crown Court heard.
Lodge was joined in the assault by Thornton who placed sugar in a kettle and threw boiling water towards the 19-year-old victim, the court was told.
Thornton also repeatedly punched the teenager to the head before he was told to remove the bloodied sheets and put them in a suitcase.
The victim was then taken to a nearby river by the couple and pushed into the water by Lodge who forced him to comply by still holding the knife.
Lodge and Thornton had come across the victim while he sat on a bench outside the Wetherspoons pub in Spalding at around 6pm on 24 June, the court heard.
All three returned to Thornton’s room at around 7.30pm where the couple became angry and accused the victim of being a “nonce” after smoking crack-cocaine and drinking alcohol. The victim had only drunk a couple of cans of cider.
Lodge produced a butterfly knife and stabbed the victim in the thigh before pinning him on a bed and stabbing him a second time to his chin. A third stab wound was inflicted to the victim’s back.
The court was told Thornton then joined the assault by adding sugar and throwing boiling water towards the victim before repeatedly punching him.
All three left the room around 9.30pm. Police were alerted after the victim managed to clamber out of the river where he was pushed by Lodge.
By the time officers arrived at Thornton’s room the couple had made efforts to clean up and change their clothes, the court heard.
Both defendants became aggresive and assaulted officers while they were detained, and made no comment during interview.
The victim, who was “obviously vulnerable” due to his learning difficulties and autism, was taken to Pilgrim Hospital in Boston where he was treated for a 6cm stab wound to his chin, a 3cm stab wound to his left thigh and a third stab wound to his back.
He also suffered a swollen right eye and blurred vision.
In a statement, which was read out in court, the victim described how he now felt “timid” and reluctant to go out in Spalding. The court heard he was unable to provide an updated impact statement.
Lodge, of Bishops Way, London, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, perverting the course of justice and assaulting an emergency worker.
Thornton, of Low Gate, Gosberton, admitted charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm to the victim and assaulting an emergency worker.
The court heard both defendants had bad criminal records, with Lodge boasting 44 convictions for 121 offences and Thornton in breach of a suspended sentence.
Nick Bleaney, mitigating for Lodge, said he wished to be sentenced and appreciated he faced the possibilty of a life term.
Michael Cranmer-Brown, mitigating for Thornton, said no harm was caused to the victim by the boiling water, and he suffered no life threatening injuries.
Passing a life sentence on Lodge, Judge Simon Hirst said the nature of the offence and his disclosures while on remand in prison gave him no doubts that he was a dangerous offender.
“You have repeatedly told professionals and this court that you wish to kill someone,” Judge Hirst told Lodge.
Lodge will serve a mininum term of six and half years in jail before he is eligible to apply for parole, but Judge Hirst stressed this would not mean his automatic release and he would remain on licence.
Thornton was sentenced to two years and nine months imprisonment for her role in the attack on the man.
Judge Hirst added: “He is obviously vulnerable because of his autism, ADHD and learning difficulties.”
