Gary Lewis, owner of Betterdaze in Northallerton, shares his harrowing experience following a failed murder attempt that left him with serious health complications.
A North Yorkshire record shop owner has recounted a harrowing experience following an attack that left him with serious health complications. Gary Lewis, aged 65, who owns Betterdaze in Northallerton, was the victim of a syringe attack on 2 July 2024. During the incident, he was injected with a muscle-relaxing anaesthetic, rocuronium, by Darren Harris, a 58-year-old nurse from Middlesbrough. This attack has raised numerous questions, particularly regarding the motive behind Harris’s actions, which remain unexplained.
After the stabbing, Lewis suffered a cardiac arrest and was only saved by prompt medical assistance and his own quick decisions. CCTV footage captured him leaving the shop to confront Harris immediately after the attack. “Apparently I died on the footpath, my heart stopped on the footpath,” Lewis stated, recalling the traumatic event. He explained that his training from three decades of service in the police force ultimately played a crucial role in his survival. “The doctors are absolutely certain,” he said, reflecting on his decision to leave the shop. He feared that remaining inside would have resulted in his heart attack going unnoticed, potentially classifying it as a sudden medical event rather than the result of a deliberate attack.
Darren Harris was subsequently arrested and was found guilty of attempted murder following a trial at Leeds Crown Court. However, he did not provide an explanation for the attack, claiming during his police interview that he had been pushed out of the shop by Lewis after an argument, a statement that was contradicted by CCTV evidence. Lewis expressed that the lack of clarity surrounding the assault is profoundly distressing. “Nobody in the family can get their head around it… It’s baffled the police, it’s baffled the barristers, it’s baffled the court,” he lamented.
Harris’s employment as a nurse was terminated by the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in August 2024, following a review of the incident and of medication storage practices in hospital theatres, which concluded that procedures were compliant with national guidelines.
While Lewis has returned to work just days after the attack, he continues to grapple with psychological effects tied to the incident. He articulates a sense of unease and mystery, pondering the nature of his attack and expressing concern that he may never receive the answers he seeks. “You wrack your brains but you’ve almost got to not think about it too much because I may never get an explanation,” he remarked, contemplating the psychological burden of returning to the scene of the attack on a daily basis.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The incident occurred on 2 July 2024, and the narrative does not appear to be a repetition of older news. However, further verification could not confirm if this is a recent news update or an ongoing story.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The direct quotes from Gary Lewis could not be traced to earlier online sources. Without further evidence, they are considered original unless proven otherwise.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from the BBC, which is widely regarded as a reliable and reputable publication.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims regarding the syringe attack and subsequent legal consequences seem plausible given the context. However, some details, such as the motive behind Harris’s actions, remain unverified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative appears to be recent and factual, especially given its origin from a reputable source like the BBC. While some aspects cannot be verified, such as the motives behind the attack, the overall reporting seems reliable.
