Jail for Walsall father after brutal attack on partner
A father of two has been jailed for nine years after trying to kill his partner in a brutal attack in front of their two children in the Black Country.
Leon Osbourne plunged a six-inch knife into the abdomen of his partner, this came after he tried to strangle her as she slept in their eight-year-old daughter's room in the Harden area of Walsall on January 8.
He then attacked her with a claw hammer and a pair of scissors, then after she tried to escape to a neighbour's house, he got into a car, running her over. At one point their 12-year-old son intervened to try and stop the attack on his mother.
Jurors at Wolverhampton Crown Court were told yesterday that the 39-year-old had been taking medication for depression and had reported having hallucinations where a guardian angel had been speaking to him. He wrongly believed his partner had been having an affair and launched his terrifying attack.
He admitted a charge of attempted murder and was given a 14-year sentence – nine of which will be behind bars with the remaining five years on licence.
Mr Phillip Gibbs, prosecuting, read a victim impact statement to the court during yesterday's sentencing. He said: "She is frightened by every loud noise. She explains she is moving away from the Midlands area as she can no longer live here and she can never go back to her home."
Robin Allen, acting sector Crown Prosecutor from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said: "Leon Osbourne is an extremely dangerous and violent man and he used this aggression in an attempt to kill his partner. If it was not the brave actions of her 12-year-old son in fending him off his moth-er, this case would have been one of murder."
Father kicked partner's head in brutal assault - See today's Express & Star
