Bridgend: Darren Brown cannot remember stabbing wife, court told
- Published
Darren Brown is standing trial charged with the attempted murder of his wife Corrine
A former councillor who stabbed his wife three times in the back has told a jury he cannot remember doing it.
Corrine Brown, 33, was left with a collapsed lung after the attack but Darren Brown, 35, told Cardiff Crown Court it was "a blur".
She was said to have been comforting their 18-month-old daughter when the assault happened.
Mr Brown denies attempted murder at the couple's home in Wildmill, Bridgend, on 10 July last year.
He previously pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent.
Giving evidence Mr Brown, who sat on Bridgend council as an independent until his resignation last September, accepted he had stabbed his wife.
But he said he picked up a knife from the kitchen and went upstairs to "try and frighten her".
He repeatedly denied remembering stabbing his wife in their child's bedroom and in the bathroom.
On accepting he had intended to cause his wife serious bodily harm Mr Brown became emotional.
"I was confused, I couldn't believe I could do such a thing," he said.
He told Kevin Seal, defending, he neither intended to murder or kill his wife.
The same month as the attack the couple had agreed to split after 10 years of marriage but decided to remain living together until the mortgage was paid.
Ms Brown had recently begun seeing another man.
Cardiff Crown Court heard he cannot remember attacking Ms Brown
The court heard Mr Brown had placed a voice-activated camera in his wife's bedroom.
She knew it was in the room, he said, but not where it was.
"I was paranoid I would come home and she and the children would be gone," Mr Brown said.
When cross examined by James Wilson, prosecuting, Mr Brown said of the attack: "It's a blur.
"I just wanted to hurt her. I didn't want to kill her."
Asked by the judge why he hadn't said before he could not remember the attack, Mr Brown said he did not know.
He added through tears: "She's the mother of my children. I'm ashamed."
Earlier the jury were shown blood-spatter photos of the toddler's bedroom, landing and bathroom.
Expert witness Martin Beale told the jury the images were consistent with Ms Brown being at these locations while injured and bleeding.
He said there were signs of a possible attempt to clean up the blood stains.
Forensic physician Prof Jason Payne-Jones confirmed Ms Brown was stabbed three times in the back and suffered a collapsed lung on the left.
Each injury, the court heard, was 2.5cm (1in) wide.
Prof Payne-Jones added in order to cause a collapsed lung on average a weapon must penetrate the chest by at least 3-4cm.
Showing the jury the 18cm blade used in the attack he said the depth of the stab wound was about 6cm.
The court heard the blows came from from the side or back.
Ms Brown's hands, Prof Payne-Jones said, showed injuries typical of defensive wounds.
It would be, he said difficult to inflict these oneself.
Previously Mr Wilson told the jury Mr Brown told police his wife's wounds were self-inflicted.
The case continues.
- Published4 January
- Published2 January
- Published16 August 2023
- Published18 July 2023
