Teacher stabbed lover’s wife with knife hidden in flowers
A British school teacher has been sentenced to over 22 years in prison after a “horrific” and unprovoked stabbing on her ex-lover’s 43-year-old wife, a married mother-of-two, last June. Clare Bailey, 44, from Dudley in the West Midlands, repeatedly stabbed and slashed her former lover’s wife in the neck, chest, stomach, and arms with a carving knife that she had hidden in a bouquet of flowers. Bailey had previously had an extramarital affair with Emma’s husband, which had ended several months earlier. According to North Yorkshire Police, Bailey had struggled to accept the end of the affair. Bailey pleaded guilty to attempted murder, which sent the victim to the hospital for over a month.
Senior Investigating Officer Jonathan Sygrove described the attack as “horrific” and commended Emma, the victim, for her bravery. Emma was left with a perforated bowel, lost all feeling in one leg, and was left covered in painful scars on her chest, arms, and hands. She was in “pain every day” and was suffering from flashbacks and nightmares about the savage attack, which made her lose all her independence. Emma was grateful for her 14-year-old daughter, who witnessed the stabbing and tried to stop it. Sygrove expressed his hope that Bailey’s sentencing would offer Emma closure.
FAQs
Who is Clare Bailey?
Clare Bailey is a school teacher from Dudley in the West Midlands who was sentenced to over 22 years in prison for repeatedly stabbing and slashing her former lover’s wife in the neck, chest, stomach, and arms with a carving knife that she had hidden in a bouquet of flowers.
What did Clare Bailey do?
Bailey had an extramarital affair with Emma’s husband, which had ended several months earlier. She had struggled to accept the end of the affair. Bailey dressed up in a red wig and surgical mask, stopped at a local grocery store before showing up at Emma’s house, and used flowers to disguise the knife. When Emma opened the door, Bailey repeatedly stabbed and slashed her in the neck, chest, stomach, and arms, causing her to require hospitalization for over a month.
What was the motive behind the attack?
Bailey’s motive behind the attack was her inability to accept the end of her affair with Emma’s husband.
What is the aftermath of the attack?
The victim, Emma, was left with a perforated bowel, lost all feeling in one leg, and was left covered in painful scars on her chest, arms, and hands. She was in “pain every day” and was suffering from flashbacks and nightmares about the savage attack, which made her lose all her independence. Senior Investigating Officer Jonathan Sygrove commended Emma for her bravery and said he was hopeful that Bailey’s sentencing would offer her some closure.
What was the sentence?
Clare Bailey was sentenced to over 22 years and four months in prison for the unprovoked attack on her ex-lover’s wife. She had pleaded guilty to attempted murder.
Lover’s wife stabbed by teacher with knife concealed in bouquet
A teacher, Clare Bailey, has been sentenced to 22 years and four months in prison for an unprovoked stabbing of her former lover’s wife at her home in North Yorkshire. The 44-year-old woman showed up at her ex-lover’s home dressed in a red wig, COVID mask, and sunglasses, concealing a carving knife inside a bouquet of flowers. She repeatedly stabbed the victim, a 43-year-old married mum, in the neck, chest, stomach and arms. The stabbing sent the victim to the hospital for over a month. Bailey had previously had an extramarital affair with Emma’s husband.
Before the attack, Bailey called in sick to work and made her way from Dudley in West Midlands to Harrogate, stopping at a local Sainsbury’s grocery store to buy flowers to use as a disguise for the knife. The day of the attack, Emma was at home with her 14-year-old daughter when she answered the door. Emma noticed a knife handle behind the flowers and tried to shut the door, but Bailey forced her way in. When Emma screamed for help, Bailey proceeded to stab and slash her in front of her daughter. Emma required surgery after suffering a perforated bowel and has lost all feeling in one leg and is left covered in painful scars on her chest, arms, and hands.
In a statement released after Bailey’s sentencing, Emma said she was in “pain every day” and suffering from flashbacks and nightmares. She also expressed gratitude towards her daughter, who tried to stop the attack. Senior Investigating Officer Jonathan Sygrove commended Emma for her bravery and stated that he was hopeful that Bailey’s sentencing would offer her some closure, saying the attack was “horrific” and that the victim is now unable to feel safe in her own home, work, or spend time independently with her children.