A HUSBAND who stabbed his neighbour causing at least three life-threatening wounds, has been jailed for six years.

Edward Briffitt armed himself with a knife having seen his estranged wife Joanne kissing their neighbour Ray Dodd after leaving a party at another neighbour’s house.

He followed them and then attacked Mr Dodd, leaving him lying in a dyke bleeding heavily from several wounds.

Briffitt returned to the former marital home at Wade Close, St Mary-in-the-Marsh, near Folkestone, from where he called the emergency services, telling the operator he may have killed someone.

Briffitt appeared for sentence at Canterbury Crown Court, having been convicted in April of wounding Mr Dodd intending to cause grievous bodily harm.

He had denied attempted murder and wounding Mrs Briffitt and was cleared of both offences.

During the trial, the court heard medical evidence of Mr Dodd’s injuries which included a wound to the throat which punctured his air pipe and severely compromised his breathing.

Another injury was a deep 2cm long wound which bled heavily and another stab that pierced the abdominal wall and punctured his bowel which could also have been fatal in certain circumstances.

Julian Baughan, QC, for Briffitt said at his sentencing that Briffitt was a hard-working family man who in ordinary circumstances was a law-abiding citizen.

It had been a stormy marriage although there was only one violent incident and when he called the emergency services, he was crying and told the operator he thought he had killed someone and was sorry.

“The marriage is over and he is prepared to let his wife have control of the family home and their three children which is a considerable self-sacrifice,” said Mr Baughan.

Jailing Briffitt, Judge Anthony Webb said it was clear Briffitt had seen the couple kiss then wander up the lane and he armed himself with the knife and followed them.

Briffitt had claimed that Mr Dodd charged at him with his head down but Judge Webb said he would not sentence on the basis of self-defence because Briffitt emerged from the dyke without injury leaving Mr Dodd with serious injuries from the use of the knife.