"Oh my God, I did it again," the Bermudian man at the heart of a bizarre, carbon copy stabbing crime in the United States told arresting Police officers, The Royal Gazette has learned.

Richard Clement Vivian, 54, was arrested in Maryland last month after allegedly stabbing a female friend in the back in an unprovoked attack.

The violent crime is more shocking, however, as it is a near-identical replay of a crime the reportedly mild-mannered Vivian committed in Bermuda 14 years ago.

In 1988, he stabbed his friend Marion Outerbridge in the lower back following an otherwise uneventful dinner party at a Paget home.

Vivian served two-and-a-half years in Bermuda prison after he was convicted of the crime.

Less than 12 years after his release, however, an attack on his friend Anna Schirmer, 50, in Maryland has left Vivian facing charges of first degree assault, reckless endangerment and possession of a deadly weapon.

He reportedly stabbed Ms Schirmer in the lower, right back area after the two spent the afternoon drinking at her home last month.

Ms Schirmer told Police the stabbing was unexpected but deliberate while Vivian claims he cannot remember the circumstances of the stabbing.

A preliminary inquiry will be held in the matter before it proceeds to trial, Maryland state troopers told The Royal Gazette this week.

As Vivian faces felony charges, he has yet to enter a plea and the case is not expected to proceed to trial for at least eight months due to a backlog of criminal prosecutions in Maryland.

At the moment, Vivian is free on $10,000 bail as he awaits trial. He has been ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.

The carbon-copy 1988 crime in Bermuda led Maryland state troopers to contact The Royal Gazette and has drawn media attention both in the United States and Bermuda.

That year, Vivian had been living a quiet life, working as manager of the Bombay Bicycle Club until he unexpectedly stabbed Ms Outerbridge in the back with a steak knife following a dinner party.

Ms Outerbridge received deep stab wounds in her lower back which reportedly nicked her right kidney.

Vivian was initially charged with attempted murder but later pleaded guilty to assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and received the two-and-a-half years sentence.

Prior to his Bermuda sentencing, the court heard reports from two psychologists which suggested Vivian had "repressed personality disorder in close male-female relationships" and a troubled relationship with a domineering mother.

His defence attorney Julian Hall argued he was deeply disturbed and in need of assistance rather than incarceration.

The Royal Gazette has learned that Vivian relocated to Maryland shortly after his release from Bermuda prison.

State trooper John Stringfellow told The Royal Gazette Vivian moved to the Talbot County community of St. Michael's in 1992.

He is understood to hold both Bermudian and American citizenship.

Up until the more recent stabbing, Vivian was again employed as a restaurant manager - this time at a high class St. Michael's eatery called '208'.

His unprovoked attack on Ms Schirmer is uncannily similar to the 1988 stabbing in both its execution and the remorse Vivian expressed following the attack.

According to Maryland troopers who responded to the stabbing, Vivian called his victim to check on her welfare while officers were at the home.

Police told him to return to the home and he did so.

Vivian has since written a letter of apology to Ms Schirmer as well.

In 1989 at his sentencing, Vivian also apologised profusely for his actions against Ms Outerbridge.

According to The Royal Gazette article on the sentencing, Vivian told the court: "The fact that I hurt her, that I hurt anyone is repulsive to me.

"If someone else did it, I would be extremely angry.

"The fact that I did it is extremely difficult to live with."