A teacher has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after a vicious knife attack on a former partner who had ended their relationship. Matthew Jones, 29, brutally stabbed Emma Kirk, 25, around 15 times, targeting her neck, head, and face.
At Bristol Crown Court, evidence revealed that Jones could not accept the end of their on-off relationship, leading to a frenzied and violent assault. The attack was so severe it required five bystanders to intervene and pull him off Miss Kirk. Even then, Jones attempted to strangle her.
Sentencing Jones, Judge Julian Lambert described the assault as “an extreme case” and deemed Jones “dangerous,” handing down an extended sentence of 12 years in custody, followed by a four-year licence period. The judge underscored the unpredictability and severity of the attack, warning that the risk posed by Jones would endure.
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Jones must serve a minimum of eight years before being eligible for parole and is banned indefinitely from contacting Miss Kirk.
The court heard that the two had met at university and had a brief romantic involvement. The attack occurred on February 26 last year in Bath, Somerset, after Miss Kirk decided to end all contact but agreed to meet Jones to return gifts. Jones’s assault was prolonged and brutal. Witnesses described him as “a man possessed.”
Jones’s violent stabbing led to two punctured lungs and multiple defensive wounds on Miss Kirk’s hands. Bystanders, including an off-duty police officer, intervened and provided emergency aid, which was critical in saving her life.
During his arrest, Jones reportedly told police, “Don’t show me any respect. I am a monster. I don’t deserve it.” Court records also indicated Jones had previously displayed obsessive and unwanted behavior toward Miss Kirk, who described it as unhealthy.
Jones denied attempted murder and possession of a blade in public but admitted grievous bodily harm with intent. His defense counsel acknowledged his remorse.
Miss Kirk’s victim impact statement detailed the attack’s devastating effects, including spending a week in a coma, being told by surgeons that her survival was miraculous, and enduring PTSD and depression. She also expressed the trauma of being harmed by someone she trusted and the significant impact it has had on her life, including being unable to work for a year.