South Shields man who slit his partner's throat and left her for dead is jailed for attempted murder

Karl Molyneaux tried to kill the mum-of-two with nine knife blows in her kitchen then left her bleeding heavily on the floor after she told him she wanted to spend a night alone with her children.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the 53-year-old former serviceman had felt "rejected" when he was told not to come round that night an argument started when he turned up anyway, with flowers and a takeaway.

He told detectives after the stabbing he had "snapped" and that his "feelings had been hurt" and he wanted to hurt her in return.

The woman was taken to hospital for emergency surgery after being found injured by her teenage son and daughter, who had been upstairs, with multiple stab wounds to her face, neck and arm and will be scarred for life.

At Newcastle Crown Court Molyneaux, of Eglesfield Road, South Shields, who worked for South Tynside Council as a care quality commissioner, pleaded guilty to attempted murder.

Judge Paul Sloan QC has today sentenced him to 13-and-a-half years behind bars with a lifelong restraining order to keep him away from the victim.

The judge said Molyneaux's feeling of rejection triggered a "horrific and angry" response.

Judge Sloan told him: "You launched a savage and sustained attack on her with a knife, stabbing and slashing her repeatedly to the face, neck and torso as well as her right arm.

"The injuries represent nine separate actions with the knife.

"The wounds to the neck came perilously close to the carotid artery and the jugular vein. Had they been severed, the incident could well have proved fatal.

"It was simply a matter of chance that those vessels were not damaged.

"You told interviewing officers your feelings had been hurt and so you wanted to hurt her.

"When she told you to lock the door on your way out you feared it may be the end of the relationship."

The court heard the couple had had a decade-long friendship before their relationship formed and Molyneaux had proposed marriage, even though his divorce wasn't final but the victim had told she was not ready for such commitment.

Molyneaux was jealous of the friendship his victim still had with her former partner.

Prosecutor Nick Dry said the "jealously manifested itself with controlling, possessive and obsessive behaviour "which led to arguments, following which Molyneaux would turn up with gifts like soft toys and flowers.

Mr Dry said on March 11 the victim had told Molyneaux not to come round to her home in South Shields, as she wanted to spend time alone with her children.Mr Dry added: "He ignored that request and said he would come around but not stay for long."

The court heard when Molyneaux went to the house anyway, with flowers and made a trip to the takeaway, it led to an "atmosphere" and the couple rowed in the kitchen.

Mr Dry added: "At that point, the defendant approached her in a manner which appeared as if to embrace her.

"Instead, unbeknown to her, as he advanced upon her the defendant picked up a kitchen knife.

"He then took hold of her around the neck and she felt his fingers in her mouth then a sharp pain to her face and neck as she was repeatedly stabbed before the defendant fled the house."

The court heard the victim's children "rushed to her aid" and she was taken to hospital.

She suffered a wound that went through her cheek into her mouth, a gaping wound to her neck and other stab and slash marks that will leave lifelong scars.

The victim still struggles to use one arm due to muscle damage and has had to leave her home due to the psychological trauma caused to her and her children.

She said in a statement: "I am extremely upset and in disbelief that Karl has done this to me – I cannot believe he is capable of this.

"I am worried about my children as they were in my house at the time and I had to ask them for help. I tried to help myself but I was in so much pain.

"This has turned my world upside down. I need to know why this has happened."

Robin Patton, defending, said Molyneaux has been assessed by two psychiatrists who agree he does not pose a risk of harm to other people and is "keen to show genuine remorse and shame for what he has done".

Mr Patton said Molyneaux, who was in the army and RAF and saw active service in Northern Ireland and Bosnia, has a history of mental health problems, including potential PTSD and had been off work due to depression and anxiety before the attack.

Mr Patton said Molyneaux regained his self control as quickly as he had lost it and contacted the emergency services then waited for the police to collect him from a nearby garage.

He added: "There is nothing he can say now to this injured party that will ever explain why he turned in that way.

"He understands he can never contact her again."

Detective Sergeant Gaye Martin, of Northumbria Police, said: "This was an appalling and cowardly attack as Molyneaux – somebody with no previous offending history – attempted to kill somebody who he should have been caring for.

"His actions were cold and sinister, leaving his girlfriend to fight for her life with catastrophic injuries as he brazenly left the address with her two teenage children upstairs.

"I would like to praise the victim for the incredible bravery and strength that she has shown throughout this case. She and her children will inevitably have to live with what happened that night for the rest of their lives.

"I sincerely hope that Molyneaux's conviction allows them some kind of closure as they look to move on from this awful ordeal. I have no doubt that the actions of the victim's children that night saved their mum's life – and they should be incredibly proud of that."

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

How to subscribe to the print edition

It’s easy to subscribe to your local newspaper. We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of. Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.