The Rackhams' stabbing incident refers to a

mass stabbing A mass stabbing is a single incident in which multiple victims are harmed or killed in a knife-enabled crime. In such attacks, sharp objects are thrust at the victim, piercing through the skin and harming the victim. Examples of sharp instruments ...

incident in 1994 where a British man, David Cedric Morgan (then 30 years old), stabbed 15 people in a

Rackhams Rackhams was a British department store that opened in Birmingham, England in 1881. The business became part of the Harrods group in 1955, before Harrods was purchased by House of Fraser in 1959. As part of the Harrods grouping in House of Frase ...

department store in

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the West ...

, England. Three people were seriously injured and needed surgeries. In addition of those stabbed, five people were treated for shock.Slasher Injures 15 in Department Store

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. newspa ...

(8 December 1994)

Background

Morgan, who originated from

Aston Aston is an area of inner Birmingham, England. Located immediately to the north-east of Central Birmingham, Aston constitutes a ward within the metropolitan authority. It is approximately 1.5 miles from Birmingham City Centre. History Aston wa ...

, was

schizophrenic Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social withdra ...

. In October 1994, he visited his GP, complaining of "evil thoughts" about attacking women.Knifeman told of 'evil thoughts' before attack
''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' (6 February 1996) He had been admitted to the

All Saints' Hospital, Winson Green All Saints' Hospital was a mental health facility in Winson Green, Birmingham, England. History The facility was designed by DR Hill and opened as the Birmingham City Asylum in June 1850. Annexes were built at the Leveretts in Handsworth in 1900 ...

in 1988 following the death of his father, and was diagnosed with schizophrenia and

hypomania Hypomania (literally "under mania" or "less than mania") is a mental and behavioural disorder, characterised essentially by an apparently non-contextual elevation of mood (euphoria) that contributes to persistently disinhibited behaviour. The ...

and depressive psychosis. After treatment psychiatrists said that he had recovered and he was discharged with directions that he should receive support from the community psychiatric team and continue on his course of drugs for three months. In 1992 and 1993, Morgan was twice arrested for attacking women in the street. On both occasions he was conditionally discharged, but the psychiatric services were not alerted and there was no further contact until he visited his GP asking for help in the autumn of 1994.

1994 attack

On 8 December 1994, the then-30-year-old Morgan visited a Rackhams department store that was packed with Christmas shoppers, wielding a 10-inch-long

butcher's knife A butcher knife or butcher's knife is a knife designed and used primarily for the butchering or dressing of animal carcasses. Use Today, the butcher knife is used throughout the world in the meat processing trade. The heftier blade works well f ...

and a 12-inch

bread knife Bread knives are used for cutting bread and are one of many kitchen knives used by cooks. The serrated blades of bread knives are able to cut soft bread without crushing it. History One such knife was exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposi ...

, first attacked manager Karen Crosby, 35, on the Estee Lauder perfume counter at 10:20 am. Jan Twining, 50, was browsing Christmas cards when she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned round, and Morgan slashed her in the neck. Kay Pilkington was slashed in the throat, needing 12 stitches because of the wound. Moving to the jewellery he attacked two more women, chasing one around the store. One victim nearly had her

windpipe The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is a cartilaginous tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs, allowing the passage of air, and so is present in almost all air-breathing animals with lungs. The trachea extends from the la ...

slashed. Two female security officers who tried to help customers as Morgan attacked them on the floor, were injured. Several of the victims pleaded with Morgan to spare them from his attack. After slashing 15 women, Morgan was finally accosted by police as he wandered around the first floor. Keith Hart, 43, armed himself with a golf club from the store's sports department. He managed to subdue Morgan, along with 38-year-old Sgt James Lavery, by firstly ordering him to put his weapon down.From the Archives: The nightmare before Christmas at Rackham's
''Birmingham Mail'' (8 December 2010) Morgan later told police he had come to the store "to cut someone".

Aftermath

Morgan was arrested and brought to court, and despite a disagreement between his legal team and the

NHS The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

, it was later determined by a psychologist that Morgan was vulnerable and isolated but apparently suffered from no mental illnesses. Morgan was sentenced to life imprisonment in February 1996. He admitted to nine offences of wounding with intent to cause

grievous bodily harm Grievous bodily harm (often abbreviated to GBH) is a term used in English criminal law to describe the severest forms of battery. It refers to two offences that are created by sections 18 and 20 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861. The ...

and one of assault. The judge told Morgan that "There can be no doubt that you are an extremely dangerous man. It is certain you must be detained until you cease to represent a risk to public safety – if that time never comes, so be it." He also recommended that Morgan not be put forward for parole before serving at least 12 years in prison. In 2002, he was transferred from the

Broadmoor Hospital Broadmoor Hospital is a high-security psychiatric hospital in Crowthorne, Berkshire, England. It is the oldest of the three high-security psychiatric hospitals in England, the other two being Ashworth Hospital near Liverpool and Rampton Secure ...

to a medium security unit where he would be allowed on escorted shopping trips as part of rehabilitation. In 2006, Morgan, then 43 years old, was released into the community to go shopping. At the time he was being treated at the

Stafford Stafford () is a market town and the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies about north of Wolverhampton, south of Stoke-on-Trent and northwest of Birmingham. The town had a population of 70,145 in t ...

St George's Hospital St George's Hospital is a large teaching hospital in Tooting, London. Founded in 1733, it is one of the UK's largest teaching hospitals and one of the largest hospitals in Europe. It is run by the St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundatio ...

.Rackhams slasher pops out shopping
''Business Live'' (19 August 2006) A documentary from ''

World in Action ''World in Action'' was a British investigative current affairs programme made by Granada Television for ITV from 7 January 1963 until 7 December 1998. Its campaigning journalism frequently had a major impact on events of the day. Its producti ...

'' about Morgan, titled "Terror in Store", was made shortly after his conviction and sentencing in 1996.

References

{{Mass stabbings before 2010 1994 crimes in the United Kingdom Mass stabbings in the United Kingdom Crime in Birmingham, West Midlands Knife attacks December 1994 events in the United Kingdom Attacks on shopping malls Stabbing attacks in England Stabbing attacks in 1994 Attacks in Europe in the 1990s

Background

1994 attack

Aftermath

See also

References