Horror fan slashed sleeping pal's face with Freddy Krueger-style glove

 Add your view

Jason Moore was obsessed with Nightmare on Elm Street killer Freddy Krueger (below)

A horror movie fanatic who repeatedly slashed his terrified friend with a home-made Freddy Krueger glove was jailed for life yesterday.

Jason Moore was obsessed with the Nightmare on Elm Street killer and spent hours crafting various recreations of his 'horrific' weapon.

His final model featured four curved steel blades - each as sharp as a cut-throat razor - that were attached to a welded brass amulet.

Deranged Moore, 37, used the glove to attack his friend John Skamarski as he slept, causing slash wounds to his face, neck and hands.

In the films he worshipped his 'hero' Krueger also struck while his victims were asleep - appearing in their dreams to maim and murder them.

Police said Mr Skamarski, 59, was 'very lucky' to survive the attack with relatively minor injuries - but added that he would be traumatised for life.

Leicester Crown Court heard how Moore had a 'morbid fascination' with serial killers and horror films, particularly the Nightmare on Elm Street series.

Balraj Bhatia, prosecuting, said: "He admitted he had watched that film on around 20 occasions and on the weekend prior to this incident.

"The central character was one Freddy Krueger, and his chosen weapon of violence was a glove which had embedded in it a number of knives.

"Such was Moore's fascination that he prepared and made a number of these gloves and took some pleasure and pride in the quality of his workmanship."

Mr Bhatia said Moore put "time and effort into his creations", adding: "It is clearly a labour of love. He practised slashing curtains with the glove."

Moore, a stonemason, told a psychiatrist after his arrest how he constructed a total of four gloves - the first in the 1980s, when the film came out.

Mr Bhatia told the court: "He said that he enjoyed how the gloves looked - menacing - and that he enjoyed 'the power' he felt when he put them on."

On August 30 last year Moore met Mr Skamarski in a park before they went back to Moore's flat in Clarendon Park, Leicester, for a drinking session.

The pair consumed around four litres of cider before Mr Skamarski dozed off after taking a sleeping tablet - only for Moore to slash him as he slept.

Mr Bhatia said: "He awoke to find Moore attacking him with a bread knife and clawed glove. He fought him off in a struggle lasting around 10 minutes.

"At one point Moore said 'I am going to do you', which he took to mean he was going to kill him. He managed to calm Moore, who apologised."

Moore - who was originally charged with attempted murder - phoned 999 himself, telling the operator he didn't know why he carried out the attack.

He said: "I almost stabbed him to death. I'm going out of my mind. For some unbeknown reason I attacked him in the chest. I tried to stab his heart."

Mr Bhatia added that when quizzed by police Moore claimed he couldn't remember the incident and said he 'came to' covered in Mr Skamarski's blood.

Philip Gibbs, defending, said: "He accepts he is a danger. He has only ever wanted to understand his actions. He is a damaged individual."

Moore, who admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, was told to serve at least four-and-a-half years before being considered for parole.

Passing sentence, Judge Michael Pert QC told him: "You had taken the trouble to construct four gloves. It was plainly a labour of love for you.

"A considerable amount of work has gone into backing that glove with brass and figuring into the plates curved talons of the sharpness of cut-throat razors.

"You were fascinated with using that glove to kill someone. The person you chose was your friend, who was asleep and had no reason to expect that attack.

"You are obsessed with violence and killing and are obsessed in particular with the character of Freddy Krueger. You are an extremely dangerous man."

The court heard Moore - who was still wearing his glove when paramedics arrived - admired all the films of Nightmare on Elm Street director Wes Craven.

Craven's other movies include Last House on the Left, which was banned in the UK for 18 years because of its graphic scenes of rape and violence.

After the case Deputy Sergeant Gary Rogers, of Leicester police, who investigated the attack, condemned horror films for their excessive brutality.

He said: "It is obvious these films influence the way people act. It gives us some concern, and unfortunately we have to pick up the pieces afterwards.

"This was probably the most horrific weapon I have ever seen. The victim could have been seriously injured and will live with the trauma for the rest of his life."

 

What's on today   What's on tomorrow

Receive our newsletter