Woman tried to saw boyfriend’s head off with bread knife after stabbing him 29 times
A woman who stabbed her boyfriend 29 times before trying to saw off his head with a bread knife has been jailed for 12 years.
Armed with two blades, Samantha Smith, 56, leapt onto her partner and pinned him down to his bed and slashed him.
She used two kitchen knives to stab the victim 29 times in the chest and stomach at their Hereford, Hertfordshire, home on July 3 last year.
As he lay bleeding on the bed, Smith tried to ‘saw his head off’ with a serrated bread knife, leaving a 10cm-deep wound.
It left the 59-year-old victim with life-threatening injuries but he, fortunately, survived the ordeal after being rushed to the hospital.
He was able to phone 999 and police arrested Smith, who never revealed her motivation for the attack.
Worcester Crown Court today heard how the couple had known one another for more than four decades.
The two spent the day drinking Jack Daniel’s whiskey, an alcoholic drink Smith had never had before.
Prosecutor Jennifer Josephs said the two had a ‘destructive’ relationship.
In a victim statement, the boyfriend said he remains deeply rattled by the attack, freezing up whenever he sees a kitchen knife.
He was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder following the arrack and struggles to sleep.
Smith’s defence lawyer said her client was experiencing mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, and accepted full responsibility.
Francesca Levett, defending, said the knife had not been taken to the scene – Smith swiped it from the victim’s kitchen – suggesting it was not pre-meditated.
Smith’s behaviour was ‘alien’ and ‘very out of character’, with Levett adding that it would likely ‘never happen again’.
Sentencing, Judge James Burbidge KC said Smith ‘ferociously’ attacked the victim ‘tried to remove his head’.
Though it was a ‘spontaneous attack’, the judge decided he could ‘not say with any certainty’ whether she would be dangerous in future.
West Mercia Police Detective Constable Emma O’Har: ‘This was a brutal attack which could have very easily have made this a murder trial.
‘Thankfully, the victim was strong enough to work with us in preparing this case and I’m happy to report he is making a good, physical recovery.
‘Domestic abuse isn’t isolated to women victims. Many men are in abusive, coercive, controlling, and violent relationships and quite often, they keep their abuse to themselves.
‘I want to reassure any victim of domestic abuse that we are here for you.’
Of every three victims of domestic violence, one is a man, according to the Male Domestic Abuse Network.
While nearly one in 10 men said they have experienced partner abuse in their lifetime, around half will never tell anyone.
‘I want to thank the survivor of this horrendous ordeal for their trust in police, their courage, and their openness,’ O’Har added.
‘My only hope is that they can now perhaps close one chapter of this book and start to rebuild their life.’
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