A convicted rapist who had been out of prison for only a few hours threatened to kill a man with a knife during a terrifying confrontation in Longstanton near Cambridge.
Jason O’Dell, 41, had just completed a nine-year sentence for rape when he turned up at a family member’s home at around 5.30pm on 17 February this year.
After being invited into the kitchen, O’Dell asked the victim for money to help him “get back on his feet”. When the man refused—citing abusive letters O’Dell had sent him from prison—the offender flew into a rage, shouting: “You are disrespecting me, who do you think you are?”
O’Dell grabbed a six-inch kitchen knife and pinned the victim against the worktop, pressing the blade into his side and threatening to “end him”.
The terrified victim pleaded with O’Dell to put the knife down and offered to talk about money, but O’Dell pressed the knife harder into his side, repeating his threats.
A struggle broke out, and the victim managed to wrestle the knife from O’Dell’s hand before calling out to another household member to phone police. O’Dell was forced out of the house and fled the scene.
He was arrested several hours later in Cambridge and recalled to prison.
O’Dell initially denied the allegations but later admitted threatening a person with an offensive weapon in a private place and making threats to kill.
He was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday (30 October) to three years and ten months in prison.
Detective Constable Samuel Andrews, who investigated the case, said:
“O’Dell’s actions caused considerable fear and distress for the victim in his own home.
“He is clearly a dangerous individual with a history of offending, and I hope the fact he’s back behind bars provides reassurance to those affected by his crimes.”
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