Hertford man jailed for stabbing

A Hertford man has been jailed for four years and eight months after pleading guilty to a stabbing in Thundridge.

Samuel Clarke, aged 22, of Wormald Close, Bengeo, was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Monday (9 February) after pleading guilty to two charges.

Police were called at around 9.10pm on Monday 1st September 2025 following an altercation between two men at an address in the Woodlands Road area of Thundridge, near Ware. One of the men sustained two stab wounds to his abdomen during the incident.

Clarke was arrested that evening as an investigation was launched by the East Herts CID. He was later charged with Section 18 GBH and remanded into custody.

He was also charged with making threats to kill, in connection with a separate incident in Hertford in August, where a man was threatened with a knife.

Clarke initially pleaded not guilty to both offences before changing his pleas during a hearing in November.

Sentencing Clarke on Monday, the judge said: "You act[ed] in the most outrageous manner…you stabbed him twice… he ran away believing he would die. You should be under no illusions; he easily could have..."

A restraining order was also put in place, preventing Clarke from contacting the victim.

Detective Constable Jordan Critchley, who led the investigation, said: "Understandably, these were frightening ordeals for both victims, with the judge describing Clarke as 'dangerous'. I'd like to commend the victims for their bravery and I hope they can at least take some small comfort from the fact that Clarke is behind bars."