A plastic surgeon has been found guilty of attempting to murder a colleague he wanted “out of the way” because he was a witness against him in disciplinary proceedings.

Jonathan Peter Brooks “hated” Graeme Perks, a court in Loughborough heard, due to the proceedings, which had begun three days before the stabbing on 14 January 2021.

Brooks went to Mr Perks’s home in Halam, Nottinghamshire, in the early hours and broke in armed with a crowbar, cans of petrol, matches and a knife.

Mr Perks had a “95% chance of dying” when he was taken to hospital, and only survived because of “quick action and amazing surgical skill”, the court heard.

Jurors deliberated for more than 12 hours before finding Brooks guilty of two counts of attempted murder, one of attempted arson with intent to endanger life and one count of possession of a bladed article.

It can now be reported that Brooks was “voluntarily absent” from the trial, because he was on hunger strike.

Judge Edward Pepperall, addressing the jury, said: “You have listened very carefully to this evidence – you have scrutinised it with care, and you have not thought for one moment that because Dr Brooks was not here he was guilty.

“That was the right approach, and I thank you for it.”

Mr Perks – who had recently retired – was woken by the defendant breaking in through the conservatory and was stabbed after he initially mistook the defendant for his son Henry.

A surgeon who treated Mr Perks said he had “a 95% chance of dying” when he arrived at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham for treatment.