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Face of a beast

James Crisp
6/12/2006

LEE Cotterill - a paranoid schizophrenic who savagely mutilated an arthritic old lady with a meat cleaver in a prolonged, frenzied attack - has been sent to a secure mental hospital.

His victim, 78-year-old Lilian Lovatt, a warm, sweet-natured woman, had known her attacker since he was a child and she had treated him like a grandson.

He set about her on February 11 with a chopper. He hacked away at her hand, face, head and neck then left her in a pool of blood.

Cotterill, 23, admitted attempted murder when he appeared at Chester Crown Court. He said he heard voices telling him to attack Mrs Lovatt. A senior judge, detectives, surgeons and paramedics, and an entire community were horrified by her devastating injuries.

After seven months in hospital, the old mill girl said: "I've lived here for 75 years and I am not going to let one little bugger change that!"

• IMAGES of Lilian Lovatt's horrific injuries can be found in this week's Express newspaper but please be warned that some people may find them disturbing.