Wakefield man slashes woman with a six-inch knife and claims she fell down stairs in 'toxic relationship'

Emergency services were called to the home of Ian Anthony Dilworth on Elwell Street, Thorpe, on January 17 last year. The woman was found to have a two-inch cut to her leg and the six-inch silver kitchen knife was found nearby.

Prosecutor Anthony Dunne told Leeds Crown Court that the pair had known each other for 12 years, and on the night of January 16 they had been drinking at Dilworth’s home, listening to music and chatting.

She said that he had not been his “usual self” and at 6am the next morning the atmosphere changed and had become “emotionally charged”.

She said she wanted to end their relationship and he picked up the knife and began waving it about, saying he was going to take his own life.

While waving it close to her, he then cut her leg across her right knee. It is thought she may have lost consciousness so Dilworth rang for an ambulance and claimed she fell down the stairs.

Police arrested him just after 8am and officers noticed he was intoxicated and refused them access to his home, so they restrained him and arrested him.

The 54-year-old later gave a no-comment interview.

Dilworth has two previous convictions for fraud in 1992. He admitted unlawful wounding.

Mitigating, Christopher Dunn said: “The custody threshold has been well and truly crossed, I can’t argue it hasn’t. This is a very toxic relationship, once he has been sentenced there will be no further contact as far as he is concerned.”

The victim also said that she was convinced that Dilworth had not intentionally hurt her.

Judge Simon Batiste said he would not jail Dilworth, but said: “You had been drinking heavily and there was an emotionally-charged situation. You became extremely agitated. You waved the knife around and caused the injury. It was reckless wounding rather than a deliberate act.”

He gave him 18 months’ jail, suspended for two years, 20 rehabilitation days and 160 hours of unpaid work.