I lost it, says 72-year-old Church Stretton knife case man

An elderly man from Ludlow admitted to police he 'lost it' and pulled out a knife and stabbed his ex-wife, a court heard.

Leonard Parton, 72, told officers during an interview he was 'seething with rage' after Ann Parton ignored him when he spoke to her moments before the attack in Church Stretton, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard yesterday.

Parton, of Upper Galdeford, is charged with attempting to murder Mrs Parton on May 19 last year but he has been deemed unfit to plead.

Mrs Parton, who divorced the defendant in 2007 after nearly 42 years of marriage, suffered five wounds during the incident in Sandford Avenue. Parton was also injured after cutting his throat, the court has been told.

A jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday heard a summary of the police interview carried out with Parton.

He told officers: "She looked at me like I was nothing. I lost it. I pulled a knife out and stabbed her. I also tried to kill myself."

Parton said: "I didn't want to live and I wanted to commit suicide."

He said he had been trying to find out where their marriage had gone wrong and had never had any answers.

He told police: "I opened the knife up then I don't remember too much about it."

Mrs Parton, who suffered wounds to her neck, arm and eye, told the court: "It was just so unbelievable. I couldn't believe what had happened."

Under cross-examination by Parton's defence barrister, Mr Delroy Henry, she said she realised she had been attacked with a knife when it went into her eye.

Parton was eventually overpowered by police officers and airlifted to a hospital in Birmingham for treatment.

The case continues.

See also:

• Pensioner: Ex-husband stabbed me in Church Stretton street

• Church Stretton in shock after street stabbing

• Two people stabbed in Church Stretton