WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT: Stephen Carr fired arrows at his wife Lorna and stabbed her six times while she was on the phone to emergency services, Leeds Crown Court heard in his sentencing
A man who attempted to kill his wife in a “terrifying and frenzied” attack with a bow and arrow has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
On September 8 last year Stephen Carr and his wife had an argument about the “concerns and stresses of caring for the defendant’s mother” who was living with them at the time. The argument resulted in Carr using a compound bow, previously utilised in target archery competitions, to fire metal-tipped arrows at his wife Lorna. He then stabbed her six times with a kitchen knife while she was on the phone to emergency services, the court heard.
Parts of the brutal attack were caught on cameras installed at the couple’s Strensall, North Yorkshire home intnded to be used for the care of the defendant’s elderly mother, prosecutor Angus MacDonald stated during the sentencing hearing at Leeds Crown Court on Wednesday.
The 57 year old denied intending to murder his wife, claiming he “blacked out”, but a jury found him guilty of attempted murder following a trial at the same court last month. Judge Simon Phillips, during sentencing, said to the defendant: “During the course of the trial, the jury heard, and to some extent saw, clear evidence that you were intent on killing your wife Lorna.
“Your anger towards your wife escalated that Sunday night. She tried unsuccessfully to calm you down. At 10.23 that night, without uttering a warning, you fired an arrow from your bow at your wife when she was standing outside by the kitchen door.”
The court heard that the bow was a “heavy and powerful compound bow” capable of firing metal arrows at a speed of 270 feet per second, which “could cause serious injuries and even death” if used against a person.
Mrs Carr narrowly avoided the arrow by shutting the door, with the arrowhead embedding itself in it just a moment after she had been standing in the doorway. She then warned her husband: “You’re going to be done for murder”, to which he responded: “Yes”, the judge informed the court.
In an attempt to prevent the defendant from using the bow again, Mrs Carr tried to sever the strings with a kitchen knife. “You threatened to ‘go mental’ if she did that,” Judge Phillips addressed the defendant. You had reloaded your bow and aimed it at her and she says: ‘Do you want murder and blood on your hands?'”
The defendant then chased Mrs Carr into the house where she had taken shelter, hit her in the face with the bow, and declared “You are dying tonight”, according to what was heard in court.
Mrs Carr then placed a 999 call from the bedroom where the defendant had cornered her. The judge stated: “During the course of that call, you have aimed the bow at her to shoot her with it. You fired a second, then a third arrow at her as she crouched in the corner of the bedroom, cowering in fear at the side of the bed.”
The court was told that the arrows missed Mrs Carr, but the defendant proceeded to stab her six times in the back with a kitchen knife while she was on the phone with a 999 operator.
She was captured pleading for her life, telling the call operator: “He’s got a bow, he’s got a compound bow… Don’t kill me Steve please. Do not kill me you c***. Please! Think of your mum”, a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson revealed.
Earlier in the evening, a kitchen camera had caught Carr removing a knife from a drawer and staring at it, a moment the prosecution suggested he was considering murdering his wife.
“This was a terrifying, frenzied and sustained attack”, the judge declared.
Following the stabbing, Carr retreated to his garden shed where police apprehended him, while Mrs Carr received medical attention, the court heard. She was rushed to hospital to treat 10 wounds, including six on her upper back, as well as swelling and bruising to her forehead, shoulders and arms.
After three days, she was discharged and has since fully recovered, the court was informed. Police reported that Carr sent a WhatsApp message to his wife post-assault, stating: “I’m glad I didn’t do what I wanted to do. I did say you were pushing me too far. My bad sorry.”
During the trial, Carr claimed he “blacked out” and doesn’t remember stabbing his wife, adding that he felt she was “controlling him”, a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said.
Gulam Ahmed, the defence barrister for Carr, addressed the court by highlighting that there had been no prior instances of abusive or violent conduct towards his wife before the assault. He submitted to the judge: “For a short period Mr Carr certainly lost it, and it is without the background of any abuse, without the background of any violence. This was out of character and a one-off.”
At the hearing, the court learned Carr had heavily indulged in alcohol during the ordeal, knocking back an entire litre bottle of vodka, which was taken into consideration by the judge as a contributing factor to the severity of the attack. The presiding judge expressed to the accused: “I do not consider a life sentence necessary – but I find that the imposition of an extended sentence is necessary having regard to the circumstances in this case.”
Carr’s ultimate punishment handed down from the bench was 17 years of jail time with an additional three-year extended licence period, totalling a 20-year custodial term. After the court’s decision, Detective Chief Inspector Jonathan Sygrove of North Yorkshire Police released a statement: “It’s hard to imagine the terror the victim felt being shot at with a bow and arrows, then set on with a knife by her own husband.
“This was also a harrowing incident for our officers and control room staff who responded to the 999 call, and their professionalism ensured Carr was promptly located and arrested before anything further could happen.”
He added: “Domestic violence takes many forms – the fact Carr has ultimately been jailed for attempted murder underlines just how serious incidents can be.”
