Judge warns all women against 'dark and evil monster' who drove knife a foot-deep into his wife and watched her bleed for four hours

  • Husband attacked his wife just days after his release from a three-and-a-half year sentence for attacking her in a vicious assault
  • He had hit her earlier in the day with a vodka bottle
  • Judge said he had 'the capacity to kill'

By Sabi Phagura


Grant Stephenson

Evil: Grant Stephenson thrust a knife into his wife's stomach and watched her bleed for four hours

A judge sent a stark warning out to all women up and down the country after jailing a violent husband for 13 years, saying next time he could kill.

Grant Stephenson drove a knife into his wife Christine's stomach and watched her bleed for four hours.

Bradford Crown Court heard how the foot-deep wound only narrowly missed Christine's heart and it was a surprise she was alive because it could have 'potentially ended her life.'

Stephenson’s drunken attack came just days after his release from a
three-and-a-half year jail sentence for leaving his wife with two broken
cheekbones in a vicious assault.

Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC passed an 18-year extended prison sentence, made up of a 13-year jail term, plus five years on extended licence.

The court heard how Christine would often protect her husband by telling police her injuries were a result of her falling over.

The judge said Stephenson had abused his power and control to abuse his vulnerable wife of seven years.

He said: 'A dark and evil monster is unchained when you are in drink.

'You are a clear and present danger to any woman with whom you are in a relationship.

'I want people in the county to know you for what you are because you have the capacity to kill.'

Stephenson, of Burley-in-Wharfedale, West Yorkshire, admitted wounding his 51-year-old wife with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm on April 8.

The 49-year-old had already admitted causing her actual bodily harm earlier that day by hitting her in the face with a vodka bottle.

He had been in custody since his arrest.


Electrician Stephenson had two earlier convictions for battering his wife, by pushing her hard against a car door and then biting her and trying to strangle her.

Prosecutor Louise Reevell said Stephenson moved into his wife’s home in Ilkley, West Yorkshire, after he was freed from jail.

Mrs Stephenson had made it clear she did not want him there but he made himself a bedsit in the living room.

The court heard Mrs Stephenson, who has now changed her name, put up with it to stop him 'turning nasty'.

That night when he hit her with the bottle she went up to bed.

Bradford The Law Courts

Warning: The judge at Bradford Crown Court (pictured) told all women that next time Grant Stephenson could kill

Stephenson came upstairs and asked for money at about 2pm. When she refused, he looked her in the eye and stabbed her in the upper abdomen.

He refused to call an ambulance or let her leave the house to get help.

It was four hours after being stabbed that Mrs Stephenson gave him her pin number so he could go and buy more vodka. She then fled the house.

The wound damaged her kidney and pancreas and she was in hospital for a week.

The court heard she did not want to see Stephenson ever again.

Stephenson’s solicitor advocate, Simon Hustler, said his client was horrified by what he had done and alcohol was his demon.

After the case, Detective Inspector Ryan Bragg, of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said: 'The severity of this attack has been reflected in the sentence handed down by the courts.

'Stephenson inflicted some extremely serious injuries upon his victim which
could potentially have ended her life.

'Those who commit domestic violence, however, will quickly realise that it will not be tolerated in any form and the consequences of such actions will result in a hefty custodial sentence.

'I would urge any victim of intimidation or abuse to report it to police.'