A Bath man has been jailed for 12 years after launching a frenzied knife attack on a woman he briefly dated, leaving her with life-threatening injuries and long-term trauma.
Savage Assault in Southdown Lane
Matthew Jones, 29, of Ivy Avenue, Southdown, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court on Friday 9 May after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent. The court heard how he attacked Emma Kirk, 25, in a secluded lane off Dransfield Way on 26 February 2024, stabbing her more than 15 times in the head, neck, abdomen, and hands.
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The pair had met at university and briefly dated. When Kirk told Jones she wanted to remain friends, he reacted aggressively, demanding she return gifts and convincing her to meet him. Once alone, he launched the savage attack at 4:20pm. Several members of the public intervened, restraining him until police arrived — an act doctors say saved her life.
Life-Threatening Injuries
Kirk sustained two punctured lungs, deep nerve damage, and lost significant blood. Surgeons at Royal United Hospitals Bath said the knife narrowly missed a major artery. She was placed in a medically induced coma and couldn’t speak to police for 10 days.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Initially claiming self-defence, Jones later admitted to causing serious harm but denied trying to kill her. He was cleared of attempted murder and possession of a knife but pleaded guilty to GBH with intent. Judge Julian Lambert described the crime as “brutal and merciless” and imposed a 16-year extended sentence — 12 years in prison and four years on licence.
