Curry Poisoner Jailed For 30 Years

A woman who attempted to kill her husband by putting anti-freeze in his curry has been jailed for 30 years.

Kate Knight, 28, was found guilty of the attempted murder of her 38-year-old husband Lee at Stafford Crown Court last month.

At Stafford Crown Court on Thursday, Judge Simon Tonking told Knight that the offence followed "premeditated planning of a most callous kind" and said that she would have to serve 15 years before being eligible for parole.

The court heard how she had attempted to kill Mr Knight by poisoning a meal, prepared for the couple's seventh wedding anniversary, at their home in Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire on April 4, 2005.

Knight had been hoping to collect £130,000 in life insurance on her husband's death, in order to clear debts believed to be around £17,000.

Mr Knight was left blind and partially deaf as a result of the poisoning and also suffered kidney failure and brain damage. He was forced to leave his job at the JCB plant in Uttoxeter and now lives with his parents and the couple's nine-year-old son Jack.

He requires 24-hour care and still has to wear two hearing aids, even after regaining some level of hearing during a recent operation.

During the trial, the court heard how Knight had used the internet to research methods of killing her husband. However, she confided her plans in neighbour, Sarah Johnston, 28.

Ms Johnston told the court that Knight had talked about possibly hiring a hitman.

(KMcA)