Phillip Dafter: Husband drove to Asda to buy new knives after stabbing his wife to death over a car MOT
A former soldier who repeatedly stabbed his wife earlier than travelling to London’s Euston station with a number of self-inflicted wounds has been jailed for all times.
Phillip Dafter, 33, killed nurse Diana Dafter, 36, on 7 October 2022 at their residence in Lawrence Court docket, Northampton, following an argument over their car receiving an MOT.
Stabbing her with such power that the blade of the knife broke, Dafter then drove his car to a close by Asda to buy a new set of knives earlier than returning residence the place his wife lay useless.
Phillip Dafter bought a set of kitchen knives shortly after murdering his wife Diana
(Northampton Police)
Choose David Herbert KC stated Dafter picked up a knife with “murderous intent” and stabbed Mrs Dafter 5 instances, with the deadly wound slightly below her armpit.
After ingesting whisky, he stabbed himself a number of instances earlier than driving to Northampton practice station and boarding a practice to Euston, with the intention of assembly a member of the family to kind out his affairs.
As soon as the practice arrived, a drunk and bleeding Dafter knowledgeable the practice conductor that he wanted to communicate to the police.
He claimed to be “evil and a dangerous man” and advised British Transport Cops that he had killed his wife. He was airlifted to hospital with 10 stab wounds to his stomach whereas officers from Northamptonshire Police have been despatched to his residence handle, the place they found Mrs Dafter’s physique.
She had been stabbed 5 instances and a autopsy examination at Leicester Royal Infirmary gave her explanation for death as a single stab wound to the center.
Diana Dafter was stabbed 5 instances in her kitchen after an argument together with her husband
(Northamptonshire Police)
Earlier than his trial, Dafter gave differing accounts to numerous professionals in regards to the incident, and claimed that “voices in his head” had advised him to “finish it”.
The court docket heard that his relationship with his wife had damaged down forward of her death, due to allegations of his infidelity and his ongoing affiliation with a lady in Malawi.
The wedding had skilled “difficulties”, partly due to psychological well being points suffered by Dafter because the death of his mom in 2015, which he claimed his wife had “failed to empathise with”.
Diana Dafter was final seen alive strolling again to the house she shared together with her husband
(Northamptonshire Police)
He denied homicide however admitted to manslaughter, arguing lack of management and diminished duty. Jurors nevertheless rejected his defence and he was discovered responsible of her homicide.
Dafter has now been jailed for all times with a minimal time period of 19 years. The choose stated the final moments of Diana’s life would have been “terrifying”.
He stated: “You probably did nothing to assist her or contact the emergency providers. You should have watched her die in a pool of her personal blood on the kitchen flooring.
He advised British Transport Cops that he was a ‘dangerous man’ and had killed his wife
(Northamptonshire Police)
“You stated you had a second of insanity. That’s the closest you might have ever come to telling the reality about what occurred.”
Jailing Dafter, the choose stated the couple’s marriage had change into “resentful and argumentative” and Diana was “justified to consider you have been contemplating leaving her”.
He stated: “You violated the belief and safety of your marriage. This was a sustained assault with a knife.
“Her final moments would have been terrifying as she did her greatest to defend herself. I settle for you might have regret for what you probably did to your wife. You’ve got accepted this killing from the outset.”
Phillip Dafter, who has been discovered responsible of homicide (Northamptonshire Police/PA)
Paying tribute to Mrs Dafter, the choose stated she was a “lady with many constructive qualities”. He added: “No sentence will cut back the grief and loss her household will proceed to really feel.”
In a assertion, Detective Chief Inspector Adam Pendlebury stated: “This was a particularly violent and extended assault that would not have come about with out a very actual intention to trigger Diana severe hurt.
“It will be important to bear in mind Diana Dafter for who she was. And that’s a lot extra than simply Phillip Dafter’s wife. She was a loving mom, daughter and buddy. A pupil nurse with a actual ardour for care, hardworking, and somebody very straightforward to get together with.”
