‘I’m going to kill you’: 999 call captures moment man breaks into woman’s house before beating and stabbing her
‘He is kicking my door in, can you please hurry up?’
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A man beat and stabbed his ex-girlfriend in her home, during an attack which was partially recorded in a 999 call.
Aaron Marsden Booth could be hearing forcing his way into Zahra Rechelle’s house before the February 2019 assault.
In the recording, the 31-year-old can be heard screaming and begging the operator to help her.
”Can I have the police please, my boyfriend is breaking in,” she said.
“He is kicking my door down, can you hurry up?”
The sound of the door falling in can be heard and Ms Rechelle goes on to plead with Booth.
“Please, don’t hurt me,” she said, during the assault.
“What I’m going to do...I’m going to f***ing kill you,” the 27-year-old attacker said. At this point the call ends.
Booth beat Ms Rechell until she was semi-conscious. He then picked up a knife in the kitchen, prompting Ms Rechelle to run from the property.
Her attacker followed her into the street and stabbed her five times in front of police officers who had just arrived.
Booth held a knife to the 31-year-old’s throat as the officers tried to persuade him to walk away from her.
Eventually he returned to the victim’s home and Ms Rechelle was taken to hospital.
The 27-year-old then entered a three-hour standoff with armed police officers before being arrested.
He pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and was sentenced to serve 14 years in prison.
Booth has to serve nine years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
“She was crying and pleading with the operator to hurry up because you were trying to break in,” Richard Mansell QC, the sentencing judge, said of the attack.
“After a few moments, there is a huge bang and she lets out a blood-curdling scream of terror as you smashed a window and climbed into the house.
“You immediately set about beating her up, knocking her to the ground and punching her repeatedly about the face.
“All that could be heard was her moaning in pain.
“This was a sustained and brutal assault on a defenceless woman.”
The couple had split after around 20 months together. Ms Rechelle had previously made repeated attempts to end the relationship.
“When at home, you would bully and degrade her by spitting, flicking cigarettes or throwing household items at her, as well as calling her names,” Mr Mansell said.
“You pursued her by turning up at her home and the beauty salon where she worked and contacting her friends, but then left her alone for about a month.
“However, you met up with her in July 2018 and persuaded her that you would change and so she agreed to start seeing you again.
“Very soon you reverted to the same kind of behaviour.”
Ms Rechelle has not been named by police officers but took to social media after the sentencing to share the recording of the call.
She wrote: “I obviously knew and agreed to this being shared, but only this!”
“I know it’s horrific to hear and he’s evil.
“But the police saved me, my eyebrows still look delightful in them awful pictures, we now live by the beach with the best family and friends and he has to do a minimum of 9 years in prison!”
Booth was handed an indefinite restraining order, barring him from contacting Ms Rechelle.