Harrowing moment cops swoop on monster holding knife to ex’s throat after setting fire to home while kids sob on her lap
FEELING the cool blade pressed against her neck, terrified Desiree Puddy knew she had to act fast.
She was asleep in bed with her two children when she woke in the middle of the night to her ex-partner Kyle Butler holding a butcher’s knife against her throat, uttering the words: “You’ll die today.”
The monster then set their kids’ bedroom alight, having barricaded the stairs and corridors of the house to prevent their escape.
Thankfully Butler’s sister had alerted the police after he made a sinister call to her revealing his plans to kill Desiree.
After a stand-off with cops, Desiree bravely took matters into her own hands and ripped the knife from Butler, nearly slicing off her finger, while their children sobbed in her arms.
She was then stabbed three times by her ex, while a police officer was also hurt before he was finally brought under control.
Thankfully, Desiree and her children survived, and Butler, 29, has been sentenced to life for attempted murder, arson and wounding with intent.
Desiree, 24, a stay-at-home mum from Basingstoke, Hampshire, says: “That night, I thought me and my children were going to die.
“I still don’t understand how Kyle would do this to his own family.
“Today I’m focusing on being the best mum possible. I’m just thankful we are all still here.”
Desiree was introduced to Butler, a warehouse operative, by friends in July 2018.
The pair quickly fell in love and moved in together after five months of dating.
Desiree says: “He constantly spoke about marrying me and promised me a bright future.
“No one had ever loved me the way he had before. He was loving and supportive.”
After a year together they began trying for a baby, and Desiree fell pregnant in 2020.
She recalls: “Kyle was over the moon at first. But when I was a few months along, he began drinking a lot and became aggressive.
“That year we had a little boy and I hoped Kyle would change. But even after becoming a dad, he shouted and swore at me every day.
“Whenever I told him I’d leave him, he said he’d come for me one day if I did. I was terrified.”
The following year, in 2021, Desiree fell pregnant again, and they went on to have a daughter. As a result, Desiree felt more trapped.
Butler began isolating her from friends and family too, and would often spend her salary on gambling.
In June 2022, after three years together, Desiree decided to end the relationship.
Without saying a word, she took their kids to her aunt’s place, and stayed there.
Desiree says: “At first, Kyle called me 53 times. Then, there was radio silence.
“He knew it was over for good and not long after I heard he moved into his family’s place.
“But I kept thinking he’d come back and do something to me. He always said he would.
“Most days I called social services, telling them he was going to kill me. But no-one took it seriously.”
Three weeks later, Desiree hadn’t heard from Butler so she felt safe to move back home.
The next night she was asleep in bed with their two children when she felt something cold on her neck.
Desiree says: “My eyes shot open and I saw Kyle, stood over me. He was pressing a butcher’s knife against my neck.
“He sneered, ‘You’ll die today,’ with a deadly look in his eye. I was terrified and thought he was going to kill me.
“He then began shouting that I was sleeping with other men, and was going crazy.”
To Desiree’s relief, the kids were still asleep in the bed.
Butler continued threatening Desiree that he was going to slit her throat open.
Eventually he called his sister and told her his plans to kill Desiree.
He then stormed into the kid’s bedroom and set it on fire.
Unbeknown to Desiree, he’d barricaded the front doors and stairs with their kid’s toys and furniture. He also lit a mattress in the kid’s bedroom on fire, and a blanket on the landing.
As the house filled with smoke, police officers stormed into the house.
Desiree says: “I realised his sister must have called the police. As the door crashed open and glass was breaking, dozens of officers stormed upstairs and Kyle wrapped himself behind me.
“He pressed the knife harder to my neck. I was sobbing and only cared about my babies. They woke up and began howling.
“Smoke filled their lungs, as well as mine, Kyle’s and all of the police officers’. We couldn’t stop coughing.”
As cops pointed a taser at Butler, he shouted he’d slit Desiree’s throat.
The room went nearly black, and Desiree believed someone was going to die if she didn’t do something.
He pressed the knife harder to my neck. I was sobbing and only cared about my babies. They woke up and began howling
Desiree Puddy
Desiree says: “I had no choice. With adrenaline pumping through me, I ripped the butcher’s knife from Kyle.
“Then he was on top of me. At the same time, an officer tackled him too. The three of us scuffled on the bed, as the kids screamed between us.
“Kyle got hold of the knife and aimed for my chest. But due to the smoke, he missed, and stabbed me in the arm three times.
“He was screaming ‘Die, die!’ as he stabbed me. I was hysterical and fought him off.
“But Kyle suddenly began violently shaking and I realised he’d been tasered.
“Suddenly, I felt an agonising pain in my hand. As officers helped me and the kids, I realised my middle finger was hanging off. It was from where I’d grabbed the knife.”
As officers helped Desiree and her kids downstairs, bloodied Butler was arrested outside.
Emergency services put the fire out, and the kids and Desiree were rushed to hospital for smoke inhalation.
Desiree says: “Afterwards, surgeons fixed my finger and put the ligaments back together.
“They also stitched up where I’d been stabbed. I soon found out what Kyle had been hurt too, and was being treated in a different hospital.
“But he was deemed fine and was taken into custody.
“I couldn’t comprehend the man I once loved did this to me, and our beautiful babies. He was a monster.”
I couldn’t comprehend the man I once loved did this to me, and our beautiful babies. He was a monster
Desiree Puddy
In May 2023, Kyle Butler, of Cannon Close, Ellisfield, Basingstoke, was found guilty of attempted murder, arson with recklessness and wounding with intent at Winchester Crown Court.
He was sentenced to life, for a minimum term of 19 years.
In court, it was revealed Butler had Googled ‘Sentencing for manslaughter’ and ‘How to slice someone’s throat properly’.
Desiree says: “Now me and the kids are scarred for life. My little boy follows me everywhere, won’t talk to adults and fears his birthday candles because of the smoke that night.
“Although my arm wounds have healed, I have nerve damage in my hand and can’t pick things up.
“My two babies should’ve been protected by their daddy. As their mum all I could was hold them tightly in that moment as we faced our deaths.
“Please, if you spot any signs of abuse, leave them before it’s too late. There is support is out there.”
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons. Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – messageinfo@supportline.org.uk.
Women’s Aid provides a live chat service – available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.