A 44-year-old woman has been sentenced to 22 years and four months’ imprisonment at Leeds Crown Court after pleading guilty to attempted murder following an incident in Harrogate last year.
Just before 5pm on Thursday 23 June 2022, Clare Bailey attended an address on Byland Road, wearing a COVID style facemask, a red wig, holding a bunch of flowers. Hidden behind the flowers was a large carving knife.
When a 43-year-old woman opened the door to Bailey, she launched an unprovoked attack on her, repeatedly stabbing and slashing the victim to her neck, chest, stomach and arms. The victim, who we will refer to as Emma, attempted to defend herself.
Emma required extensive surgery and a hospital stay lasting more than a month, during which time she was not able to see her children.
The victim’s teenage daughter attempted to intervene and stop the attack on her mum but feared Bailey would turn to attack her, although no physical contact was made, the ordeal has understandably stayed with her.
Emma did not know Bailey. It later transpired Bailey had previously had a relationship with Emma’s husband but this had ended several months before the offence took place, something which Bailey had struggled to accept.
During the investigation it was established Bailey had travelled from her home in the Pedmore area of Dudley to Harrogate on the morning of the offence, after calling in sick at work. Before attending Emma’s home, she stopped at a local Sainsbury’s store to buy the flowers she used in the attack.
Following the assault on Emma, Bailey left the scene by foot before getting in her car and driving back to the West Midlands where she was arrested during the early hours of Friday 25 June.
