PETERBOROUGH MEN JAMIE SMITH AND STEVE BLADES SENTENCED FOR PLOT TO ATTACK PREGNANT WOMAN
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Peterborough, two men have been sentenced to prison for conspiring to violently assault a pregnant woman in an attempt to terminate her unborn child.The incident, which unfolded in early 2014, involved a calculated plan by Jamie Smith, aged 23, of Athena Close, Stanground, to orchestrate a brutal attack on Jessica Santos, also 18 at the time, in order to eliminate her pregnancy.
According to court proceedings, Smith's motivation stemmed from the news that Ms.
Santos had become pregnant during their affair.
His response was to devise a sinister scheme to have her assaulted, believing that such violence would result in the loss of the unborn baby.
Smith enlisted the help of Steve Blades, also 23, residing at Wells Court, to carry out the attack.
The plan was to lure Ms.
Santos to a secluded park in Peterborough under the guise of discussing her pregnancy, and then to carry out the assault using a crowbar and a knife.
During the court hearing at Peterborough Crown Court, it was revealed that Smith had asked Blades and another man to commit the assault.
The plan was to make the attack appear as a robbery, with Smith intending to sustain injuries himself to cover up the true motive.
The attack was scheduled for the evening of February 21, but the third man involved refused to participate after learning of the violent nature of the plan.
He subsequently alerted the police, leading to the immediate arrest of Smith and Blades.
Jessica Santos expressed her heartbreak and betrayal in a statement, saying, “It hurts a lot to know that someone I felt so close to could plan this behind my back, yet still be so nice to my face.
It’s just evil.
Nobody has the right to say whether someone, especially a baby, should live or die.” Her words underscored the emotional toll of the conspiracy and the gravity of the threat posed by the defendants.
Detective Constable Vicky Speirs, who led the investigation, described the plot as “sickening and extremely dangerous,” emphasizing that the level of violence they were prepared to use could have easily resulted in a murder.
The court heard that Smith was sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted of conspiring to cause grievous bodily harm, while Blades received a 12-month sentence for the same charge.
Additionally, both men were subjected to a 10-year restraining order prohibiting any contact with Ms.
Santos, aiming to protect her from further harm or harassment.
This case highlights the disturbing lengths to which some individuals will go when driven by destructive motives, and it serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilant law enforcement in preventing violence and protecting vulnerable victims in the community of Peterborough.
