A 64-year-old woman allegedly stabbed her estranged husband twice after he revealed he had arranged for their two rescue dogs to be euthanised, a court has been told.
A Fatal Revelation Leads to Violence
Claire Bridger is said to have driven to the address where Keith Bridger was staying on the night of 17 July last year. She intended to ask him to pay for their next mediation session. However, the encounter turned violent when she discovered the fate of their pets.
Prosecutor Peter Gair told Norwich Crown Court that Bridger "became hysterical" upon learning the dogs had been put down. "She was screaming 'You've killed my dogs'," Mr Gair said. The defendant then allegedly got out of her car with a knife in her right hand and lunged at her husband.
The Alleged Attack and Its Aftermath
The court heard that Claire Bridger stabbed Keith Bridger twice, once in the chest and once in the abdomen, inflicting what were described as severe and life-threatening injuries. As he lay on the floor bleeding and crying for help, she also allegedly bit him on the arm.
Neighbours rushed to the scene in Bramerton, Norfolk, after becoming aware of the disturbance. They tried to wrestle the knife from Bridger before calling the emergency services. In a 999 call played to the jury, a caller was heard saying, "There’s a woman with a knife."
When police arrived, the defendant allegedly told them, "he killed my dogs," before adding, "I just saw red." Keith Bridger's injuries were initially treated by a neighbour who is a doctor, before he was taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Background of the Couple and Their Pets
The couple had been together for almost 40 years but separated the year before the alleged incident. The court was told they took in their first rescue dog at their marital home in Taverham, Norfolk, in March 2020, just days before the first pandemic lockdown. They homed a second dog a year later.
After the relationship broke down, the pets – described as "quite noisy" and "bitey" with "behavioural issues" – were being looked after by Mr Bridger. However, he was not allowed to keep them permanently at his one-bedroom accommodation, and attempts to rehome them were unsuccessful.
"He felt there was only one option and that was to have them put down," Mr Gair told the jury. Claire Bridger had not been made aware of this decision prior to her visit.
Claire Bridger denies a charge of attempted murder. The jury has been told she has admitted an offence of wounding with intent. The trial continues at Norwich Crown Court.
