A violent offender who repeatedly stabbed his former partner with kitchen scissors after breaking into her Gateshead home has been jailed for 16 years and three months. Philip Rutherford, 35, also attempted to rob two vehicles while armed with a broken wine bottle following the attack.
The Attack
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Rutherford climbed into the woman's property after throwing a garden table through her window. He punched and stamped on the victim, pulling her into the kitchen by her feet. When he tried to grab a knife, she fought for it, prompting him to arm himself with kitchen scissors. He stabbed her about 10 times, hitting her back, chest, face, and arms.
The victim's eight-year-old daughter was present and escaped through a window. Rutherford then got off the bleeding woman, who fled her own home.
Injuries and Impact
The victim suffered puncture wounds to her right arm and eyebrow, along with bruising and swelling to her jaw and cheek. She was left with scars but no broken bones. In a victim impact statement, she said: 'I no longer feel safe. What frightened me most is what he was capable of doing that day.'
Prosecutor Emma Dowling stated: 'The incident was terrifying for her. She believed he was trying to kill her, given his past threats to kill.'
Attempted Robberies
After the stabbing, Rutherford approached two vehicles on Wallace Gardens in Leam Lane, holding a smashed wine bottle. He pointed the bottle at a grandmother, her daughter, and her 11-year-old grandson, demanding their car and claiming he had just killed someone. The grandmother managed to drive off, but the bottle touched her neck. She later said: 'When I close my eyes, I still see his eyes staring through the window.'
Rutherford then tried to open another woman's car door while she was inside with her five-year-old daughter, but she locked the doors in time.
Background
Rutherford had previously been jailed for two years for strangulation, stalking, and threats to kill against the same victim. He was released in November last year. The couple discussed reuniting but decided against it after she revealed she had seen someone else while he was in prison. Rutherford then began taking drugs and alcohol, leading to the attack on December 8.
Upon arrest, Rutherford called the woman a 's***' and a 'grass', saying he would stab her again and hoped she died, showing no remorse.
Sentencing
Rutherford, of Hamilton Court, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, two counts of attempted robbery, and possessing an offensive weapon. His defense cited complex mental health difficulties, but Judge Edward Bindloss noted no evidence of remorse and deemed him dangerous. He sentenced Rutherford to 11 years and three months in prison, with an additional five years on licence, totaling 16 years and three months. He must serve two-thirds before parole eligibility.
