A 78-year-old Darlington man has been jailed for the attempted murder of his wife, whom he repeatedly stabbed as she slept in a 'horrific' attack.
The Attack
In March 2026, the woman awoke in their shared home to find Colin Finch attacking her with a knife. She was stabbed five times. Half an hour later, Finch called an ambulance, telling the operator he had 'tried to kill' his wife.
Sentencing
Finch was arrested at the scene and charged with attempted murder, which he admitted. At Teesside Crown Court on June 10, he was jailed for eight years and eight months. The judge described his actions as an 'abhorrent level of cruelty'.
Victim Impact
In a victim impact statement, the woman said: 'What Colin has done has broken our family. He has ruined his life as well as mine. When Colin was stabbing me, all I could think of was: Why, why was he doing this? I thought he loved me.'
She added: 'Before Colin did what he did, I was recovering from an operation. I did need some assistance, but I was able to get out and about and do some things for myself. However, since this incident I have been bedbound and require daily assistance just to live. I no longer have any mobility and have been in hospital ever since. My injuries will heal and my scars will fade, but the memory will always be there. I now have to learn to live with a broken heart.'
Police Statement
Detective Constable Daniel Blackwood of Darlington CID said: 'Colin Finch carried out a horrific and brutal attack on his own wife while she slept in the home they shared together. The level of cruelty he showed to someone he was supposed to love is truly abhorrent.'
He added: 'I'd like to pay tribute to his wife who has shown tremendous strength following the attack and throughout our investigation. I hope this result provides her with some form of comfort that justice has been served and allows her to start rebuilding her life.'
