JAILED: Sonia Witton gets 10 years after stabbing dad 22 times on his own doorstep

Sonia Witton, 48, turned up at Jeffrey Witton's home on Chorley Road, Burntwood, on November 8 last year, Stafford Crown Court heard.

Jeffrey, a father of three, who was 77 at the time of the attack, opened the door to Sonia who was dressed in black and a balaclava.

Witton, of St Michaels Road, Rugeley, then stabbed her father 22 times in the abdomen, neck, chest and arms repeating 'die, die', said Mr Robert Price, prosecuting.

Mr Witton suffered two 10-inch stab wounds to the neck, a six-inch wound to the left shoulder, five cuts to the head and chest, three penetrative stab wounds to the abdomen and multiple cuts to the arms.

Miss Witton was given a 10-year prison sentence with an extra four years added to the period of time she will be monitored on release. She must also serve at least two thirds of her prison sentence before being considered for possible parole. She was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120. Judge Michael Chambers QC said: "This was a frenzied attack on your father.

"You armed yourself with a knife that day with the intention to kill your father."

Mr Price said at one point, the court heard how Miss Witton knelt over her father and continued to stab him.

Mr Witton managed to alert a neighbour who called the emergency services.

He was was taken to Birmingham Queen Elizabeth hospital by air ambulance where he underwent colon surgery.

He was in intensive care until November 20 and has since made a full recovery, though he has permanent scarring from the stab wounds.

Mr Christopher Clarke, defending Miss Witton, told the court how she had taken a 'cocktail of drink and drugs' before the attack and afterwards headed to a nearby lake.

Miss Witton disposed of the knife at Chasewater County Park and was walking into the lake to commit suicide when she was stopped my members of the public, the court heard.

She had texted a friend and her ex-partner telling them what she had done and where she was.

She was arrested at the park that day and appeared at Burton Magistrates' Court charged with attempted murder on November 10 last year. She pleaded guilty to the charge at a later court hearing last month. Psychiatric reports that were read out during sentencing detailed how Miss Witton had, at the time of the attack, recently suffered a break up of a serious relationship and had financial problems. She had been taking anti-depressants, the court heard.