County news: Man guilty of three counts of attempted murder

A man has been found guilty of three counts of attempted murder following a triple stabbing in December, which sparked a major man hunt.
ST LEONARDS STABBING - SOCO AT SCENE SUS-150812-100427001ST LEONARDS STABBING - SOCO AT SCENE SUS-150812-100427001
ST LEONARDS STABBING - SOCO AT SCENE SUS-150812-100427001

Keiran Keyte, 34, of Michelson Close, St Leonards, was charged after stabbing three people during an incident in Church Road in the town on December 7 last year.

He was convicted last week following an eight-day-long trial at Lewes Crown Court.

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The triple stabbing rocked the town and sparked a man hunt which spilled over into Bexhill.

One victim, a 46-year-old man from St Leonards, was airlifted to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, suffering from life-threatening injuries.

A 57-year-old man, also from St Leonards, was taken by ambulance to the same hospital with stab wounds. Police believed there was a third victim outstanding and officers launched a manhunt along the beaches of St Leonards and Bexhill, while the police helicopter circled the skies.

Eyewitnesses told the Observer they had seen a blood-soaked man walking along Bexhill seafront, hours after the stabbings has taken place.

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A passerby, who asked the man if he was OK, was told that he had fallen off his bike and didn’t need any help.

Police officers were soon on the scene and a stretch of promenade by the Bexhill Sea Angling Club was cordoned off.

A 22-year-old man from Bexhill was later arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. However, he was de-arrested after it was established the man was a victim.

He was also taken to hospital with non life-threatening stab wounds.

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Speaking at the time of the offence, Detective Inspector Neil Ralph, of Sussex Police, described it as ‘a shocking incident’.

But he said that all the parties involved in the stabbing were known to each other.

Keyte is set to re-appear at Lewes Crown Court for sentencing on June 14.

* Picture taken by Eddie Mitchell.

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