Major jailed for attempted murder of ex-wife

A jury took six hours to find Jonathan Creak guilty of attempted murder

A former Army major who tried to kill his ex-wife by slashing her with a blade has been jailed for 25 years.

Rhiannon Creak was discovered with serious wounds to her neck, breast and torso, at Hardwick, Norfolk, on 6 July last year.

Jonathan Creak, 51, of Woodstock, Oxfordshire, had previously admitted causing grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife in a public place and in April was found guilty of attempted murder.

Sentencing Creak at Norwich Crown Court, Judge Katharine Moore said: "That behaviour is, frankly, terrifying."

Creak was found guilty of attempted murder after the court heard he drove more than 100 miles (160km) from his home to attack Ms Creak.

The court had been told he had followed her as she went to muck out a friend's stables.

Jurors heard Creak, of Westland Way, produced a Stanley knife from his pocket and his victim said she heard him shouting that she needed to die.

Rhiannon Creak said she kept having flashbacks to the knife attack by her ex-husband

Claire Matthews, prosecuting, said Creak was "familiar with the weapon and its capabilities".

She said "the violence was so carefully planned... and the long-lasting harm so great," that there was an ongoing risk to the public.

In mitigation, defence lawyer Daniel Higgins said Creak had been in work clothes that he wore while renovating his house, and there was no premeditation.

The judge acknowledged that Creak "served [his] country", had "put others before himself" and "does demonstrate remorse".

"He is someone that is keen to rehabilitate," she said.

However, she described him as "dangerous" and said he was "driven by anger and resentment".

She said he continued "to pose a high threat to Rhiannon" and posed "a risk to members of the public, especially women".

His sentence will include an additional four years on licence, alongside a lifetime restraining order.

Ms Creak has called for more support for people who face "aggressive" relationships.

She told the BBC how Creak had laughed as he chased her and started "slashing" at her neck.

Her injuries included nerve damage, meaning she cannot fully use her right arm.

"I have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and horrible flashbacks and terrible nightmares, and I haven't really slept more than a few hours a day since," she said.

She was married to Creak for 10 years, and described their relationship as "confusing".

"There were some very lovely moments, but also some really quite aggressive times," she said.

The couple split up in 2018, but did not divorce until 2022.

Ms Creak said that during the relationship, Creak never physically attacked her, but would react angrily to "benign incidents."

"Small actions would turn into quite aggressive moments. Everything just felt very disproportional," she said.

Det Insp Duncan Woodhams said: "This has been a terrifying ordeal for Rhiannon and her family. It has had a profound impact on her physical and psychological wellbeing.

"Nothing will ever erase the experience for Rhiannon, but we hope that the sentence today ensures her perpetrator will have to serve some justice for his unthinkable actions."

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