A ‘grinning’ man who shot a police officer with a crossbow whilst attempting to ‘hunt down’ police after stabbing his neighbour has been jailed for nine years with an extended licence period of three years.
Jason King, 55, was sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to wounding with intent, unlawful wounding, affray, possession of an offensive weapon and having a bladed article following the terrifying incident in High Wycombe on 10 May last year.
The court heard how King believed he could speak to his neighbour’s dog “in dog” and thought he had contact with an “Egyptian god” during a period of deteriorating mental health that culminated in the violent rampage.
Long-Standing Neighbour Dispute Erupts
The shocking incident began around 6pm when King became embroiled in an altercation with neighbour Alistair Mahwuto, 63, on School Close in the Downley area of High Wycombe. The confrontation arose from what the court heard was a “long-standing” dispute between the neighbours.
During the altercation, King stabbed Mr Mahwuto in the stomach with a “small knife”, inflicting a two-centimetre wound before fleeing the scene. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Mahwuto said the incident had “affected me more than I would have ever imagined” and revealed that doctors told him the wound could have been fatal had it been a few centimetres higher.
The court heard that the day before the shooting, King had reported to police that his windows had been broken by a neighbour, fuelling what Judge Jonathan Cooper described as a “sense of grievance” towards both his neighbours and police who he believed had not handled the incident appropriately.
Police Under Fire
When unarmed Thames Valley Police officers arrived at the scene following reports of the stabbing, they were immediately met with crossbow fire from King, who began shooting at them from his upstairs window. Body-worn police footage shown to the court captured the terrifying moments, with one male officer heard saying “he f****** shot me” after being struck.
Prosecutor Graham Smith told the court that PC Curtis Foster had seen King “grinning” as he exited his address before shooting him in the leg with a crossbow bolt. The projectile struck near an artery, causing a two to three-centimetre wound that doctors later said could have been “catastrophic”.
Rather than surrender, King then began what the prosecution described as “hunting” and “stalking” the police officers. He chased PC Foster with the crossbow, continuing to fire as officers retreated. A witness described King as “tracking” the officers as they fled.
Armed Response and Police Shooting
The situation escalated further when King ran into a nearby park where police had moments earlier cleared children away from danger. A police dog handler and PD Merlyn confronted King, who threatened them with the crossbow, though thankfully neither was injured.
When armed officers arrived and confronted King in the park, he refused repeated orders to drop the weapon. As King began moving towards the park exit where PC Foster had fled, an armed officer made what Detective Inspector Nick Hind described as a “split-second decision” to fire a single shot.
King was struck once in the abdomen, bringing the threat to an end. He received immediate first aid before being taken to hospital under police supervision with potentially life-changing injuries. He was discharged ten days later and taken into custody.
Mental Health and Bizarre Beliefs
In mitigation, defence barrister Mark Kimsey told the court that King had been suffering from a “worsening mental condition” and accepted the incident was “very frightening” for those involved. The court heard extraordinary claims about King’s mental state at the time of the offences.
It appeared at the time the defendant believed he was able to speak to the neighbour’s dog, and speak in dog,” Mr Kimsey said, adding that King thought he had contact with an “Egyptian god. King believed he was “special in relation to having contact with an Egyptian goddess”, the court was told.
Mr Kimsey said King, who had previously worked “in computers”, wanted to apologise and felt “embarrassed and ashamed”. He told the court that King “didn’t understand why he lost the plot” and that the violent behaviour was “totally out of character.
The crossbow used in the attack had been purchased online for less than £20 and was described as a “pistol” crossbow that could be “freely purchased by anybody” without a licence, the court heard.
Judge’s Damning Verdict
Sentencing King, Judge Jonathan Cooper said he had been motivated by “revenge” and a “sense of grievance” towards his neighbours and police. The judge rejected King’s claim that he had purchased the crossbow for recreational purposes, stating: “I consider that this was an attempt by you to arm yourself in the event of need.
Judge Cooper told King he was “clearly beside yourself” with anger during the incident, adding: “You came out of your house to try and shoot at police officers.” The judge said King’s actions, including chasing officers and continuing to shoot at them, were evidence of him “attempting to settle a score with police.
It was as if you were trying to hunt down the officer, chasing him, aiming at his body,” Judge Cooper said, describing how King had shot PC Foster “from a distance of roughly two car lengths away” as the officer turned to run.
Lasting Impact on Victims
PC Foster, who watched the sentencing via video link, said in a victim impact statement that the attack had affected him in “so many ways” and “changed my outlook on life a bit. He revealed he now feels more “protective” about his colleagues and experiences anxiety when hearing jobs come through on the radio.
“I don’t want anyone else to experience what I experienced,” the officer said. “Previously, I guess I was quite blasé about work. I kind of thought risk is risk and that is what you deal with.” He added that the incident had “knocked” his confidence and that he had thought about how he might never have seen his “parents or anyone else” again.
Police Bravery Praised
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation into the shooting of King praised the “courage, professionalism and sound judgment” of officers involved in the incident. Judge Cooper commended PC Foster and two other officers for their “immense bravery” during the hearing.
Detective Inspector Nick Hind said: “The courage of our officers in dealing with this incident was second to none. King was an extremely dangerous man, who posed a significant threat to police, other emergency services and members of the community. I believe the actions of all the officers responding to this incident prevented the potential of a mass casualty event.
In court, King, wearing a green long-sleeved top and wooden beaded necklace, waved and made heart gestures towards family members in the public gallery. He shook his head and interrupted the judge at several points during the hearing. The court heard he had previous convictions including possession of a bladed article in a public place and punching and threatening a neighbour.
King had been on remand since May 2024 and was said to be “doing extremely well” in custody. Two additional charges of criminal damage and cultivation of cannabis will lie on file.
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