Samson Price guilty of attempted murder after 'revenge' attack

Samson Price Sr, of Sefton Road in Wigan, appeared at Chester Crown Court today (February 6) after carrying out a brutal attack using a 16-inch machete outside PureGym Northwich in 2021.

Price initially denied this charge, which saw then 20-year-old Patrick Brown from Winsford suffer life-threatening injuries on September 23, 2021, but did pleaded guilty to a lesser offence of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

But the jury, after a six-day trial, did not believe Price only intended to seriously hurt his victim.

The court heard he came within ‘millimetres’ of killing Mr Brown, with one of the several wounds inflicted severing his femur bone and only just missing a major artery – which would have led him to bleed out within minutes, doctors said.

During the course of the trial, prosecutor Simon Mills told the jury Price blamed Mr Brown for his son’s death.

On October 4, 2020, Samson Price Jr, aged 18, was found dead in a pond in Wigan and the people he had been with in the lead up to his death included Mr Brown.

He, along with two other people, was arrested on suspicion of murder, but police concluded there were no suspicious circumstances and Samson Jr had most likely drowned by accident.

Price Sr did not accept this and months before the attack he purchased a machete and just a few days before September 23, he travelled to Winsford to fit a tracker to Mr Brown’s vehicle.

Price followed his victim in the days leading up to the attack, saying he was trying to speak to Mr Brown and ask questions about his son’s death, however the prosecution did not accept this.

Samson Price Sr (Image: Cheshire Police)

On the day of the attack, Price followed the tracking device to PureGym in Northwich, armed with a machete concealed under his clothing.

The court heard he inflicted multiple wounds on Mr Brown, using enough force to almost completely sever his leg, including the bone, and fracture his arm.

The jury did not believe his claims of merely trying to ‘inflict scars on him that would stay with him for the rest of his life’.

Price fled the scene and handed himself in three weeks later.

Prosecutor Simon Mills said: “What else could Samson Price have intended by all of these actions during this assault other than to kill Patrick Brown?

“Samson Price intended to kill Patrick Brown, and he came very close to succeeding.

“Patrick Brown’s survival was a matter of sheer luck, and prompt medical care.”

Price has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Thursday, March 23.

Following today’s verdict Detective Constable John Corrigan, formally of Northwich Beat Team, who led the investigation said: “This was an absolutely terrifying ordeal for the victim, and I welcome the verdict that the jury have reached today.

“While I have sympathy for Price following the death of his son, there is no excuse for the actions he took on the night of the attack.

“Price attacked the victim from behind, leaving him totally defenceless, and specifically hit his leg to demobilise him.

“The attack lasted just 23 seconds, but during that time we estimate that the victim was stabbed between 15 and 20 times – including multiple wounds his head, arms, and right leg.

“I have no doubt that had it not been for the assistance provided to the victim by the public, along with the swift response of officers and paramedics, the outcome of this case could have been very different.”

Chief Inspector Leeroy Moss, head of Northwich Local Policing Unit, added: “Thankfully, incidents of this nature are extremely rare in the Northwich area, however I understand that this attack caused shockwaves in the local community.

“I would like to reassure residents that we are committed to doing all we can to tackle knife crime.

“We will respond robustly to any knife related incidents and do all we can to ensure that anyone found to be carrying a knife or committing a knife related offence is brought to justice.

“Members of the public also have a vital role to play in our fight against knife crime by giving us information about crimes involving knives and those who carry weapons.”

To report any type of crime involving weapons please contact Cheshire Police on 101, or 999 in an emergency.

Information can also be passed to the force online via www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report or given to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.