Former councillor stabbed wife ‘for love’

A FORMER councillor stabbed his wife in the back saying “I do this for love”, a court heard.

Darren Brown, 35, admitted stabbing his wife at their marital home in Bridgend, South Wales, but denied trying to kill her.

He and Corrine Brown, 33, had separated early last year after 10 years of marriage, but stayed living together until they paid off their mortgage.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that when Mrs Brown began seeing someone else it was something that Mr Brown “had difficulty coming to terms with”.

Prosecutor James Wilson said that when she was on a seaside break with her new partner Mr Brown told friends he was “losing the will to live”.

“I could bloody stab her, but I bloody love her,” he told them, the court heard.

Two days later Mr Brown, a former independent councillor at Bridgend Town Council, went on a spa day and hoped his wife would join him but she told him they were “just friends now and it wouldn’t be right”.

The jury was told her weekend away and texts from her new partner led to an argument between the pair on July 10 last year. Mr Wilson said Mr Brown retrieved a kitchen knife, and was stood by the door of their baby’s room with his hands behind his back.

His wife asked him what he was doing. He replied “nothing”.

Mr Wilson said: “She turned away from him to put a dummy in the baby’s mouth. He then said ‘I do this for love’ and she felt extreme pain in her back and physically sick after he stabbed her for the first time.”

Ms Brown described him as “acting like a psychopath from a horror movie”.

Mr Brown allegedly told her “I have to do this because I love you so much” and stabbed her a second time.

The court heard Mrs Brown crawled into the bathroom while bleeding heavily and locked the door behind her.

Mr Wilson said she feared she would die and phoned her mother and boyfriend to tell them of the attack. The jury heard that while she was on the phone Mr Brown smashed through the door and stabbed her again. Mr Brown fled but phoned his parents and 999 to tell them the address, the court heard.

Mr Brown arrived back at the home and told police his wife’s wounds were self-inflicted, the court heard. Mr Wilson said: “It would be impossible to self-inflict these wounds.

Mr Brown later admitted wounding with intent but denies the more serious charge of attempted murder. The trial continues.