Man who stabbed ex in street shouting ‘I love you’ jailed for attempted murder

Nicholas Hutchins told police ‘if I can’t live with her, no one else should live with her,’ after attacking estranged wife

A man who stabbed his estranged wife in the street while shouting ‘I love you' has been jailed for attempted murder (Metropolitan Police)

A man who stabbed his estranged wife in the street while shouting “I love you” has been jailed for attempted murder.

On the morning of 31 July 2020, Nicholas Hutchins waited in an alleyway outside the house where his ex had been staying in Sutton since they separated in March.

As she left for work, he emerged from the alley with his hand held at head height and shouting: “You should never have left me. I love you.”

The victim thought Hutchins, 55, was going to punch her and lifted her left arm up in defence.

But a few seconds later, she realised Hutchins had a knife and that he was stabbing her.

The victim’s screams alerted her neighbours who ran outside and tackled Hutchins to the ground, where they kept him restrained until police arrived.

After his arrest, he told police: “If I can't live with her, no one else should live with her.”

He then added: “I wanted to kill her and then kill myself.”

Officers found the blade used to stab the victim near the scene, as well as a separate bag of knives which later transpired to also belong to Hutchins.

Hutchins told police officers he just wanted to talk to his wife and insisted he did not stab her but was arrested for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He was taken to hospital to be treated for a cut to his hand, where he confessed to a medical practitioner that he went to the location with the intention to cause serious harm to his estranged wife.

It was at this point Hutchins was de-arrested for grievous bodily harm and re-arrested for attempted murder.

The victim was taken to a south London hospital where she was treated for multiple stab wounds to her arm and upper body.

Hutchins, of Wellow Walk, Carshalton, initially pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and possession of a pointed/bladed item, namely a knife, at a hearing but changed his plea to guilty on the first day of his trial in June 2021.

He was sentenced to 19 years’ imprisonment, with an extended license of three years, at Croydon Crown Court on Tuesday.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Hutchins’ ex-partner said: “As a result of what Nicholas did to me, I feel he has stolen my future because I have to think about going out or even on holiday, as I am worried for my safety.

“I also feel that I have lost my husband. Although he wasn’t the best, he was still my husband and we were married for a significant amount of time.

“I also feel my children and grandchildren have lost their father and grandfather. It is lucky that the grandchildren are young enough for this incident not to have an impact on them.”

She added: “I make the effort not to think about what he did that day but it has really affected me. I am always trying to keep busy because if I’m busy I am not thinking about it.”

Detective Constable Chris Dimmer, of the Metropolitan Police, said: “This was a malicious attack against an innocent woman, simply because she no longer wanted to be with him.

“Hutchins was determined to cause serious harm and it is fortunate that the victim was not left with life-threatening injuries.

“I commend the courageous members of the public that intervening and stopped Hutchins from preventing him from causing further injuries to his ex-partner or other member of the public.

“I hope the sentence that was handed down to Hutchins today will send a clear message to those that are intent on committing violent acts.

“We will pursue and bring to justice perpetrators of any abuse – including those of domestic abuse.”