Queen’s Guard who kidnapped squaddie pal, wrapped him in clingfilm and tried to kill him after he started seeing his estranged wife is jailed
John Watson abducted James Dicks when Mr Dicks began to see Watson’s estranged wife Lynsey
A SOLDIER found guilty of trying to kill his army colleague for having a fling with his estranged wife has today been jailed for 16 years.
Queen's Guard John Watson, 35, bundled former best pal Trooper James Dicks, 29, into the back of his car and tied his hands and feet together.
The former friends, both fathers of two, fell out when Mr Dicks began to see Watson's estranged wife Lynsey, Reading Crown Court heard.
Watson was found guilty of attempted murder at Reading Crown Court on January 19, following a retrial, and was convicted of kidnapping on October 21 at the initial trial.
He previously pleaded guilty to unlawfully having a knife in a public place.
Today Watson was jailed for 16 years at Reading Crown Court for the kidnap and attempted murder of fellow serviceman and love rival James Dicks.
Watson wrapped cling film around his face and tried to stab him before he broke free.
Jurors heard the drama unfolded after Watson found out his estranged wife Lynsey Watson had started seeing Mr Dicks and he sent threatening messages to him.
Mr Dicks said he was walking to his car after leaving Watson's home at about 7am when 34-year-old Watson suddenly appeared in a car park, brandishing a knife.
He told the court: "I heard my name being called and as I turned around, I saw it was John. He was walking briskly towards me and he was brandishing a knife."
The jury heard that Watson carried a seven inch folding knife with a yellow and black handle and two cable ties, looped in the form of a handcuff on the morning of the alleged attack on May 4.
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Mr Dicks said he was terrified and added: "I moved around to the front of my car to try to get some distance away from him. He said he wanted to go for a chat and I replied, 'About what?' It was quite an aggressive tone.
"He said about f****** his wife. He told me to come with him and then he presented a pair of cable ties. He pulled them out of his pocket. They were about one centimetre thick and they were inter-looping like pre-made handcuffs."
Jurors were told Watson thrust the knife at Mr Dicks' stomach after he would not put them on.
He went on: "I remember we were both on the ground and I was on top of him trying to pin him down and that's when I started to call for help.
"I cannot remember what I said but I just remember shouting it really loudly so anyone could hear.
After a brief time an elderly gentleman and his wife appeared by his car from a back entrance of a garden.
"I asked for help from the gentleman and then he replied to me, 'I can't he's got a knife.'
"The next thing I knew, John pulled out a second pair of cable ties and he forced me to put them on otherwise he would slash my throat."
His hands and feet were tied to the driver's headrest by another cable tie and he said Watson produced a second bigger, kitchen knife and pressed it against his stomach as he lay on the folded down back seats.
Trooper Dicks said he was driven for less than a minute at excessive speed, before Watson stopped and got a roll of cling film from the footwell at the back of the car.
Mr Dicks was only rescued by two police officers after he kicked Watson while he unrolled the clingfilm. He told of how he feared for his life as Watson pulled the clingfilm tight around his face, touching his nose and mouth and they fell out of the car and two officers arrested the pair.
Watson and Mr Dicks became pals while serving in Prince Harry’s old unit the Blues and Royal at barracks in Windsor, Berks.
Watson allegedly spend weeks plotting the attack, even asking workers on his base to dig a grave and saying it was for a dead dog.
A checklist on his PC included a shovel, a mouth clot and fabric freshener.
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