Window cleaner gets ten years for frenzied knife attack on fiancee

Martin Shaw, a 23-year-old fitness fan who took cocaine, ecstasy and steroids, armed himself with a knife and lashed out at his partner, stabbing her 16 times in the stomach, back and arms.

He tried to kill gym instructor Hazel Robinson when she ended their relationship.

Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday how doctors at North Tees Hospital battled to save her life after the attack, in Heddon Grove, Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, last July.

The 21-year-old needed eight operations, spent weeks in intensive care and had to have a kidney removed. She has been left with scarring on her body and suffers fits because of her injuries.

Mick Smith, prosecuting, said Shaw went to see his girlfriend at her mother's home after she removed some of her possessions from the home they shared in Whitchurch Close, Ingleby Barwick.

He said: "He visited the address to ask his partner whether their relationship was over. When being told it was, he armed himself with a large kitchen knife and carried out what can only be described as a prolonged and frenzied stabbing that took her close to the point of death."

Realising what he had done, Shaw took another knife and began to stab himself in the throat while Miss Robinson's mother, Janet, called the emergency services.

The court heard that Shaw, who ran a window cleaning business, was under pressure after running up debts.

The couple met at a gym in Ingleby Barwick, where Miss Robinson worked, and began a relationship before moving in together. The relationship began to sour shortly afterwards and Shaw told a friend he was going to stab his partner before killing himself.

Aidan Marron QC, in mitigation, said Shaw was extremely remorseful and had pleaded guilty to attempted murder because he did not want to put his ex-partner and her family through more pain.

Judge Peter Fox said: "This was a totally terrible and wholly irrational attack on a completely defenceless young woman."