Northampton man stabbed wife to death so hard he broke the knife, then went to Asda for a new one
![Philip Dafter was found guilty of murdering his wife Diana.
Credit: Northamptonshire Police](https://images.ctfassets.net/pjshm78m9jt4/35Ykm91AEFAJAoHFqRhXR5/4bfb1541609de30a3088b36fab362307/phillip-dafter---northamptonshire-police.jpg?fm=jpg&fit=fill&w=400&h=225&q=80)
A husband who stabbed his wife to death so hard that he broke the knife has been jailed for at least 19 years.
Phillip Dafter killed his wife Diana Dafter at their home in Northampton on 7 October and then went to a supermarket to buy a new knife so that he could stab himself.
He then boarded a train to London, where he told police what he had done and was arrested.
At Northampton Crown Court on Tuesday, the 33-year-old was jailed for life with a minimum of 19 years and 82 days, taking into account the time he has spent in custody.
Mrs Dafter was found in a pool of blood in her kitchen in Lawrence Court after a stab wound to her chest damaged her aorta.
The court heard the couple’s marriage had experienced “difficulties”, in part because of mental health issues suffered by Dafter since the death of his mother in 2015, which he claimed his wife had “failed to empathise with”.
During his trial, Dafter denied murder but admitted to manslaughter, arguing loss of control and diminished responsibility. He was convicted of murder by a jury.
The argument on 7 October began after Dafter claimed his wife had made a comment about his vehicle.
Judge David Herbert KC said Dafter picked up a knife with “murderous intent” and stabbed Diana five times, with the fatal wound just below her armpit.
He said the last minutes of his victim's life must have been "utterly terrifying".
He said: “You did nothing to help her or contact the emergency services. You must have watched her die in a pool of her own blood on the kitchen floor.
“You said you had a moment of madness. That is the closest you have ever come to telling the truth about what happened.”
He added: "No sentence will reduce the grief and loss her family will continue to feel for the rest of their lives."
Dafter confessed to what he had done after taking the train to London Euston, and telling the conductor he needed to speak to police.
“Why?” the conductor asked.
“Because I am evil and a bad man,” Dafter replied.
He then confessed to police that he had killed his wife.
He told officers he had killed his wife and police were sent to their home address, where Diana’s body was found.