Wife of dad-of-3 stabbed to death slams cops for failing to stop killer who warned ‘I will murder him’ the night before
THE heartbroken wife of a dad-of-three stabbed to death by a raging neighbour has slammed police for failing to stop his killer.
Can Arslan, 52, terrorised locals in Walton Cardiff near Tewkesbury, Gloucs, for 12 years with his anti-social behaviour.
The monster's chilling threats came to a bloody end on October 5 when he stabbed Matthew Boorman 27 times in a gruesome rampage.
Arslan also slashed at Matthew's wife Sarah as she desperately tried to pull him off her husband and also stabbed local Peter Marsden eight times.
Gloucestershire Constabulary has referred itself to the police watchdog over missed chances to stop Arslan's rampage.
Sarah has now slammed the force for failing to act on warnings Arslan gave police informing them he would "murder" the 43-year-old.
Speaking after the knife thug was convicted of murder today, the mum said: "On the 5th October 2021, Matthew’s life was stolen from him by the defendant, and he was cruelly taken from us.
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"We will never be the same without him, but as we move forward and learn how to cope without him, we fight in his name to expose not only the malice and cruelty of the man that did this, but also the failings in the system that let this happen."
Sarah hit out at the "multiple authorities" warned of the "threat" Arslan posed to not just Matthew but all neighbours in the housing estate who were "threatened and harmed by him".
She said Matthew's murder has "shocked us all to the core" but revealed it was "not remotely out of the blue".
Sarah added: "The police and other authorities had been told about how dangerous this man was, the threats he made, and the risks he presented.
"The response was toothless and ineffective, even when the defendant himself told the police he was going to murder Matthew. That conversation took place on the 4th October, the night before Matthew died. He was not even warned.
"Matthew was not this man’s only victim on that dreadful evening, but he was the only one with the misfortune to pay the high price of his life."
Sarah also slammed Arslan for "revelling in the attention" as he sought his "moment in the spotlight".
She said he had not shown "one flicker of remorse or decency" and revealed the family will not even speak his name.
The mum added: "Matthew’s story must not end here. We must all ask ourselves why this was able to happen, and how things were ever allowed to get this far. Mistakes were made.
"They must be acknowledged, truly learned from, and must never be repeated. Matthew was an ordinary, loving family man. He was one of us.
"His life should have mattered; it mattered a great deal to us. We continue to fight on in Matthew’s name in the hope that no other family has to endure what we have endured."
REIGN OF TERROR
Fed-up locals had been trying to evict Arslan for 12 years due to his anti-social behaviour.
The spat erupted following a row over a "shared drive" but had continued to escalate with repeated threats to kill his neighbours.
Arslan would shout at them "I'll put you down" and was recorded six months before the killing stating: "I am going to f***ing do a massacre."
The brute branded his neighbours "motherf*****s" and "c**ksuckers" and made horrific rape threats.
He also tormented the Boormans by telling them: "I'm going to put you in the ground".
Arslan would describe the violence he planned to do to them while pretending to be on the phone in his back garden.
In May, the couple made a statement to police setting out a summary of the threats they had received and revealed they feared being murdered.
In retaliation, Arslan told officers they were racially abusing him and made a string of counter-claims.
The day before the bloodbath, he swore at a cop who called him about the complaint and said he would "sort his neighbour out himself" and "murder him".
While "acting in his own horror film", the monster killed Matthew then lit a cigarette as he sat on his lifeless body.
He then stabbed Sarah before stalking the housing estate hunting for his next victim.
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He stabbed Peter Marsden before brave off-duty cops tried to subdue him with golf clubs and wooden slabs.
Arslan was sent to Broadmoor Hospital to be sentenced on June 9.
Sarah Boorman's statement in full
Matt shone brightly, he radiated enthusiasm and had a real zest for life. He loved to celebrate life, and fill the house with both music and laughter.
Perhaps what people will remember most of all about Matt is his smile. His energy, his love, his laughter - a very proud father of his children.
He helped raise money for charity over the years, hiking the 3 peaks with friends, gardening at a hospice, running half marathons and much, much more.
Matt was a man who infused fun into the most mundane tasks. He was a kid at heart who would fly model aeroplanes and race remote control cars. He loved rollercoasters, music festivals, camping weekends, hiking, running, cycling, motorcycling and flying.
He truly lived life to the max and lived for his children. Evenings and weekends would be spent together as a family.
Matt’s death is truly shocking. He was so young and had such a bright future ahead of him.
Today and for the rest of my life I’m mourning the loss of my husband. Our family & friends have been sentenced to a lifetime of grief”
On the 5th October 2021, Matthew’s life was stolen from him by the Defendant, and he was cruelly taken from us. We will never be the same without him, but as we move forward and learn how to cope without him, we fight in his name to expose not only the malice and cruelty of the man that did this, but also the failings in the system that let this happen.
In the years that preceded Matthew’s death, multiple agencies and authorities were warned of the threat that this man posed not only to Matthew, but to many other neighbours who were threatened and harmed by him. Although Matthew’s murder has shocked us all to the core, the incident was not remotely out of the blue. The police and other authorities had been told about how dangerous this man was, the threats he made, and the risks he presented. The response was toothless and ineffective, even when the Defendant himself told the police he was going to murder Matthew. That conversation took place on the 4th October, the night before Matthew died. He was not even warned.
Matthew was not this man’s only victim on that dreadful evening, but he was the only one with the misfortune to pay the high price of his life.
Throughout this trial the Defendant has revelled in the attention, seeking his moment in the spotlight. He has not shown one flicker of remorse or decency. We will not speak his name. We are grateful to the court and to the jury for reaching a decision which reflects what he has done, the type of man he is, and what he has taken from us.
But Matthew’s story must not end here. We must all ask ourselves why this was able to happen, and how things were ever allowed to get this far. Mistakes were made. They must be acknowledged, truly learned from, and must never be repeated. Matthew was an ordinary, loving family man. He was one of us. His life should have mattered; it mattered a great deal to us. We continue to fight on in Matthew’s name in the hope that no other family has to endure what we have endured.
We would like to thank:
· The local community, for their heroic efforts on that evening, trying to stop the defendant and putting themselves in danger; for the support and kindness the whole community has since shown our family; and for helping us pay tribute to the wonderful man that Matthew was;
· Matthew’s work and work colleagues for their support and kind devotion to Matthew. It has been wonderful for the whole family to hear how valued, loved and appreciated he was at work; their kindness will not be forgotten.
· Our children’s schools for the amazing support they have provided to our children as they try to come to terms with the reality of what has happened.
· And last but certainly not least, to the paramedics and off duty nurses who tried to resuscitate Matthew, who helped others who were injured, and who looked after our family in the wake of this vile attack.