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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
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| Poison plot wife given 30 years | Poison plot wife given 30 years |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A woman who tried to kill her husband by putting anti-freeze into his curry and wine has been jailed for 30 years. | A woman who tried to kill her husband by putting anti-freeze into his curry and wine has been jailed for 30 years. |
| Kate Knight, 28, was found guilty of the attempted murder of Lee Knight at their home in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire in 2005. | Kate Knight, 28, was found guilty of the attempted murder of Lee Knight at their home in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire in 2005. |
| Judge Simon Tonking, at Stafford Crown Court, told Knight she showed "little remorse" and would serve at least 15 years before being eligible for parole. | Judge Simon Tonking, at Stafford Crown Court, told Knight she showed "little remorse" and would serve at least 15 years before being eligible for parole. |
| Mr Knight, 38, suffered kidney failure and brain damage and is now blind. | Mr Knight, 38, suffered kidney failure and brain damage and is now blind. |
| He is also partially deaf, has some paralysis of his facial muscles and needs 24-hour care. | He is also partially deaf, has some paralysis of his facial muscles and needs 24-hour care. |
| The devastation you have brought to his life is apparent... Mr Justice Tonking | The devastation you have brought to his life is apparent... Mr Justice Tonking |
| Mr Justice Tonking said the poisoning happened following "premeditated planning of a most callous kind". | Mr Justice Tonking said the poisoning happened following "premeditated planning of a most callous kind". |
| Knight, of Meir Hay, Stoke-on-Trent, plotted to poison her husband in order to collect a £130,000 payout from her husband's employer JCB, in order to clear her £17,000 loans and remortgage, the court was told. | |
| The judge also spoke about the impact the poisoning had on Mr Knight's life. | The judge also spoke about the impact the poisoning had on Mr Knight's life. |
| "The devastation you have brought to his life is apparent to everyone who saw him giving evidence in this case," he said. | "The devastation you have brought to his life is apparent to everyone who saw him giving evidence in this case," he said. |
| "But while he did so there was little or any sign of remorse on your part." | "But while he did so there was little or any sign of remorse on your part." |
| Poisoned curry | Poisoned curry |
| Despite showing little emotion during her trial, Knight rocked back and forth, cried and appeared shaken during the sentencing hearing. | Despite showing little emotion during her trial, Knight rocked back and forth, cried and appeared shaken during the sentencing hearing. |
| The public gallery cheered and clapped as the judge read out her sentence. | The public gallery cheered and clapped as the judge read out her sentence. |
| Mr Knight told the court he knew nothing of anti-freeze in the house | Mr Knight told the court he knew nothing of anti-freeze in the house |
| He said her crime fell into the "top of the scale" for sentencing attempted murder cases. | He said her crime fell into the "top of the scale" for sentencing attempted murder cases. |
| The court had heard how on the night of the couple's seventh wedding anniversary on 4 April 2005, Knight cooked her husband a curry and served him red wine - both of which had been laced with ethylene glycol, the chemical constituent of anti-freeze. | The court had heard how on the night of the couple's seventh wedding anniversary on 4 April 2005, Knight cooked her husband a curry and served him red wine - both of which had been laced with ethylene glycol, the chemical constituent of anti-freeze. |
| When Mrs Knight was arrested in May 2005, police discovered a one-litre bottle of anti-freeze containing 840ml of the liquid at the couple's home. | When Mrs Knight was arrested in May 2005, police discovered a one-litre bottle of anti-freeze containing 840ml of the liquid at the couple's home. |
| During the three-week trial, the jury heard how Knight, originally from the Wirral, had used internet searches to find a method of killing, settling on anti-freeze after ruling out ecstasy or an iron overdose. | During the three-week trial, the jury heard how Knight, originally from the Wirral, had used internet searches to find a method of killing, settling on anti-freeze after ruling out ecstasy or an iron overdose. |
| Her neighbour Sarah Johnson, 28, told the court how Knight had mentioned paying £50,000 to hire a hitman. | Her neighbour Sarah Johnson, 28, told the court how Knight had mentioned paying £50,000 to hire a hitman. |
| Mr Knight, who lives with his parents and the couple's nine-year-old son, said his ex-wife had ruined his life. | Mr Knight, who lives with his parents and the couple's nine-year-old son, said his ex-wife had ruined his life. |
| "I have hardly any independence anymore - I need to have somebody with me all the time. I don't think I'll ever be able to work again," he said. | "I have hardly any independence anymore - I need to have somebody with me all the time. I don't think I'll ever be able to work again," he said. |
| 'Cynical and ruthless' | 'Cynical and ruthless' |
| He wears two hearing aids after regaining some level of hearing following an operation, and during the trial gave evidence supported by two hearing specialists. | He wears two hearing aids after regaining some level of hearing following an operation, and during the trial gave evidence supported by two hearing specialists. |
| Outside court, Det Con Martin Smith, who led the Staffordshire Police investigation, said: "Kate Knight cynically and ruthlessly plotted to murder her husband and cover her tracks. | Outside court, Det Con Martin Smith, who led the Staffordshire Police investigation, said: "Kate Knight cynically and ruthlessly plotted to murder her husband and cover her tracks. |
| "Even when Lee was critically ill she kept secret from doctors what had caused the condition which eventually left him deaf, blind and in need of kidney dialysis. | "Even when Lee was critically ill she kept secret from doctors what had caused the condition which eventually left him deaf, blind and in need of kidney dialysis. |
| "Despite her scheming, Knight left a trail of evidence which, through detailed investigation, we were able to build into a strong case resulting in her prison sentence today." | "Despite her scheming, Knight left a trail of evidence which, through detailed investigation, we were able to build into a strong case resulting in her prison sentence today." |