Bristol man Alec Butt jailed after hammer attack on ex-wife

Alec Butt covered his face to hide his identity, before attacking his ex-wife

A man who brutally attacked his ex-wife with a hammer and screwdriver outside her workplace has been jailed.

Alec Butt, 71, seriously injured Anna Butt's head, arms and hands after laying in wait for her on Whiteladies Road, in Bristol, on 28 December 2019.

She said: "I was thinking that I was going to die".

Butt was found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to seven years and nine months in jail.

Avon and Somerset Police said the mental scars that domestic abuse causes were often more painful and longer lasting than the physical injuries

The attack on Anna only came to end when a passer-by heard her screams and phoned police.

Butt, of Rylestone Grove, Bristol, had covered his face to conceal his identity and pushed Anna up against a wall to begin his attack, Avon and Somerset Police said.

In a personal statement read out in court, Anna said: "I was absolutely terrified."

"Throughout the attack, despite my constant attempts to fight back and disarm my attacker, I was thinking that I was going to die in that car park.

"I distinctly remember during the incident that I kept seeing my children's faces before my eyes and also my parents.

"When I realised that it was Alec, when I pulled his hood down, it confirmed what I already knew; I had been married to Alec for 18 years and I had real fears that he would do something like this."

Alec Butt used a hammer and a screwdriver to inflict significant injuries to Anna's head, arms and hands

Butt denied being responsible for the attack and was found guilty by jurors in March.

Following sentencing on Monday Anna urged others in her position to seek help.

"I would encourage anyone suffering domestic abuse to reach out to the police for help. They will support you and you are not alone," she said.

PC Nina Foster, from Avon and Somerset Police, who supported Anna, said: "Alec Butt is a violent abuser. His terrifying actions are inexcusable and have rightly seen him sent to prison.

"We hope today's result and the bravery shown by Anna encourages other victims to contact police or to seek support from a trusted friend or relative.

"You will be believed and we can help make you safe."