Man tried to kill his ex

Saturday 24th January 2009, 12:00PM GMT.

Shrewsbury Crown Court A 43-year-old man tried to murder his ex-partner in a “slashing frenzy” which left her within an inch of her life after he got into her Shropshire home and pounced on her while she lay in bed.

Victim Zoe Durie, 24, awoke “terrified” to find Peter Hewitt on top of her with a cut-throat razor at her home in Wem after he let himself in with a key in the early hours of June 29 last year.

Hewitt had previously admitted attempting to murder Miss Durie on June 29 last year and being in possession of a razor.

He had also admitted a charge of assaulting Miss Durie causing her actual bodily harm on June 24 – just days before the attempt to kill her.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday Judge Robin Onions said the amount of blood on the bedding recovered from the crime scene was the worst he had seen in 16 years of being a judge.

He said Hewitt was a significant risk of harm to women including future partners and ex-partners. Hewitt was handed an indeterminate prison sentence for public protection. He must serve at least four years and 161 days before he can apply for parole.

Police today welcomed the sentence handed out to Hewitt, of Bilston, Wolverhampton.

Mr Sean Brogan, for Hewitt, said his client was hugely remorseful for what he had done.

View more: North Shropshire news.