Max Drapkin

Max Drapkin, a 37-year-old man from Kidderminster, UK, has been involved in significant criminal legal proceedings related to the attempted murder of his former partner, Katie Knott.

Key Facts, Dates, and Court Decisions:

• Incident Date: The offense occurred on Sunday, September 21, 2025, in Stourport-on-Severn. Drapkin went to Ms. Knott's home, where he grabbed her by the neck, pushed her to the floor, dragged her into the kitchen, continued to choke her, and struck her head. Ms. Knott sustained injuries to her head and eye and managed to escape by climbing out of a window.
• Initial Court Appearance & Plea: Drapkin appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Monday, October 20, 2025, for a plea and trial preparation hearing, where he pleaded not guilty to attempted murder. He had previously pleaded guilty to intentional strangulation at an earlier Crown Court hearing in March 2026.
• Trial Dates: The trial commenced on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Worcester Crown Court, sitting at Redditch Justice Centre. The jury began deliberations on Friday, May 15, 2026.
• Verdict: On Thursday, May 21, 2026, Max Drapkin was found guilty of attempting to murder Katie Knott. The majority verdict was agreed upon by 10 jurors, with 2 dissenting, after nearly 20 hours of deliberation.
• Sentencing: Drapkin was sentenced to 14 years in prison at Worcester Crown Court on Friday, May 22, 2026.
• Defense Claims: During the trial, Drapkin claimed he did not intend to kill Ms. Knott, stating he "still loved her" and that he acted in a state of "psychosis." However, no medical evidence was presented by the defense to support the psychosis claims. He also mentioned previous instances of auditory and visual hallucinations and the effect of bipolar disorder, particularly when using crack-cocaine and heroin.

Max Drapkin was remanded in custody throughout the trial.