Man brutally stabbed girlfriend more than 30 times in Enfield after accusing her of cheating

A jealous man who attacked his partner with two knives and stabbed her more than 30 times has been jailed for life.

Jay Clark, 35, “devastated” the life of Khalen Hunter by attacking her at their home in Enfield after “unreasonably” accusing her of being unfaithful.

His neighbour overheard Ms Hunter screaming for help and showed “extraordinary and conspicuous bravery” by breaking down the door and calling the police.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and Clark’s victim was taken to Royal London Hospital in a helicopter.

The Old Bailey court heard that her injuries were so severe that the doctors gave up counting the number of knife wounds to her face and body.

Ms Hunter survived the ordeal, but remains unwell and was unable to give evidence or participate in the trial after Clark pleaded not guilty to attempted murder.

Clark's defence of insanity was rejected by an Old Bailey jury and he was convicted.

Appearing in court on Friday wearing a grey tracksuit, he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years for the “brutal and sustained” knife attack.

Jurors heard that Clark had a history of substance abuse, in particular cocaine, and had been exhibiting signs of schizophrenia since 2017.

In the months before the attack, he had formed the “delusional belief” that Ms Hunter was being unfaithful and there had been incidents and rows between the couple.

In the days before she was stabbed, she had informed her dad of her intention to leave the relationship and described it as “toxic”.

During the early hours of 25 April 2020, he once again accused Ms Hunter of cheating before grabbing knives from the kitchen and ruthlessly attacking her in the bathroom.

The couple's neighbour overheard her screams and banged on their door.

The neighbour heard Ms Hunter shouting: “He’s got a knife, call the police”.

Judge Philip Katz KC said: “He kicked the door, saw inside and witnessed what he described as a horror movie. You and Khalen were near the bathroom and he saw a lot of blood.

"You were standing over her with a knife to her throat and in your other hand you were holding her hair.”

The neighbour repeatedly asked Clark what he was doing and overheard him say: “F*** it, I’m going to do it”.

Jurors heard that at this time, Clark was “confused and mumbling strange things” and despite not being religious, he made numerous references to God and the devil.

Police officers and the London Ambulance Service attended the scene and during his arrest, Clark coherently admitted to using “yay”, a slang word for cocaine.

Two foil wraps were found in the bedroom, but he later refused to give a voluntary blood sample at hospital.

Ms Hunter, meanwhile, was rushed to a major trauma unit with serious injuries, including an almost total severance of her external carotid artery which carries blood to the brain.

She had over 30 stab wounds with many slash wounds to her scalp, face, back and upper limbs.

Mr Katz KC added: “That she did not die could only be described as a miracle, but it was no thanks to you.”

Her family have said she is now a “shadow of herself” and that her injuries have had a “heavy impact” on her relatives.

She was not well enough to give evidence or attend the trial and therefore her mother acted as her interlocutor during police interviews.

Judge Katz KC noted that while there was no evidence that Clark had been physically violent towards Ms Hunter on a previous occasion, police had previously been called to the address.

“It may not have been planned or premeditated but it shows it was not spontaneous,” he said. “Your use of violence was a massive escalation from your previous behaviour.

“You are a man, who in relation to partners, was prone to unreasonable jealousy. Sadly it is not uncommon for jealous men of previous good character to use violence towards women."

Since his arrest, Clark has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and has been receiving treatment for his mental health.

The jury rejected his defence of insanity, however, and he was unanimously convicted of attempted murder.

He has now been jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years.

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