Nurse Who Tried to Kill Stranger in Northallerton Vinyl Shop Handed Life Sentence

Nurse who injected record shop owner with muscle relaxant in unprovoked attack receives lengthy jail term.

A nurse who attempted to murder a complete stranger by injecting him with a muscle relaxant in a Northallerton record shop has been sentenced to life in prison. Darren Harris, 58, of Amesbury Crescent in Middlesbrough, was working as an anaesthetist nurse at an NHS hospital at the time of the shocking incident. Today, Friday 11 April 2025, following a hearing at Leeds Crown Court, he was ordered to serve a minimum of 16 years.

The victim, Gary Lewis, who owns and runs a vinyl record shop on Zetland Street in Northallerton, had opened his store and was working inside on Tuesday, 2 July 2024.

Shortly after 10:00, Harris entered the shop and began browsing the records. Mr Lewis had never met Harris before this day, and Harris continued to go in and out of the shop throughout the morning.

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At 13:38, Harris entered the shop for the final time. Approximately an hour later, he approached Mr Lewis, who was sitting at his desk in a confined space behind the counter, as if he intended to purchase a record. As Mr Lewis turned away from Harris to put cash in the till, Harris injected him in the buttock with a hypodermic needle containing Rocuronium, a drug that causes muscle relaxation and can lead to respiratory arrest if administered.

Harris immediately fled the store and attempted to drive away. However, Mr Lewis bravely chased after him and blocked his vehicle, preventing his escape.

Within minutes, Mr Lewis’s condition rapidly deteriorated to the point where he stopped breathing and became unconscious. The swift actions of several members of the public, who became aware of the incident before emergency services arrived, were crucial in saving his life.

During this critical time, Harris stood by refusing to assist. When police officers from North Yorkshire Police detained him, he falsely claimed that he had injected Mr Lewis with water.

Harris denied charges of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm with intent but admitted to administering a noxious substance. He did not give evidence during the trial. However, the jury heard recordings of his police interview and ultimately found him guilty of attempted murder on Tuesday, 28 January 2025.

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Following the sentencing, Gary Lewis said: “My life and that of my family, friends and colleagues has been irrevocably changed by the violent and unprovoked actions of Darren Harris on that day in July."

He added: “I’m grateful for the overwhelming help and support that I have had throughout the six months since this attack.”

Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Wilkinson, the Senior Investigating Officer from North Yorkshire Police, commented: “This unprovoked violent attack left Mr Lewis with serious injuries. Although the physical injuries may heal, the mental trauma of the attack will stay with Gary for life."

DCI Wilkinson also expressed his gratitude to the public: “I’d also like to thank the members of the public who came to Gary’s aid on the afternoon of the attack, they ensured initial first aid was given to him before emergency services arrived and also made sure that Darren Harris wasn’t able to leave the scene."

He further stated: “This has been a complex investigation, and I would like to thank my team for their hard work in bringing Harris to justice. I hope today’s sentence goes some way to helping Gary come to terms with what has happened.”

Edmund Hall of the Crown Prosecution Service said: