Victim of antifreeze murder plot determined to get on with life

Jan 30 2008 Liverpool Daily Post

A FATHER-OF-ONE whose Wirral wife poisoned him with anti-freeze says his life has been “ruined”, but he wants to make things right for their nine-year-old son.

Lee Knight, 37, has been left blind, deaf and brain damaged after his wife Kate Knight spiked his wine with anti-freeze.

The 28-year-old, from Moreton, was convicted of attempted murder yesterday at Stafford Crown Court.

Her crime was described as “cowardly” by Detective Constable Martin Smith, who led the inquiry into the attempted murder.

Mr Knight, who spent six months in hospital and was in a coma for 16 weeks, did not know his wife had poisoned him until his mother told him.

He has also been separated from his son Jack, who had been stay-ing with his mother while she was on bail.

Speaking after the sentencing he said: “I lost my job, my house, everything I worked for and, worst of all, my son. I have hardly any independence any more – I need to have somebody with me all the time. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to work again.

“Kate has ruined my life and what she did will have a big effect on Jack’s future. I hope I can make things right for him. I’d like to have an extension built on mum and dad’s house so there’s a private space for me and my son. I’d like to take him on holiday.”

The prosecution said Kate Knight’s motive was financial because she had run up large debts “and hoped her husband’s £250,000 life cover would be the solution to her financial woes”.

She turned up at court yester-day with a suitcase packed and had tears in her eyes when the jury’s woman foreman returned the guilty verdict.

Her address was given in court as Dovedale Court, Garrick Avenue, Moreton, Wirral, but she is thought to have moved to Childwall Avenue, Moreton.

Speaking after her conviction, DC Smith said: “Despite the weight of evidence against her, Kate Knight refused to co-operate throughout. Her cowardly crime almost caused the death of Lee Knight whose blindness is a life sentence in itself – he will never be able to properly see his young son again.”

Judge Simon Tonking told Knight she was facing a “consid- erable term of imprisonment” and would remain in custody.

The couple’s son Jack “will now go to his father and his father’s family,” said Michael Gledhill, QC, defending.

The prosecution said Kate Knight had searched on the internet about ethylene glycol (anti-freeze) and how many ecstasy tablets would be needed for a fatal dose to be crushed into food.

In a trial run Knight put a small amount of anti-freeze in her husband’s curry meal but he complained of a tinny taste. When she began considering killing her husband, the couple were living in Waterdale Grove, Meir Hay, Stoke.

She befriended neighbour Sarah Johnson, confided in her, and asked where she might get ecstasy tablets with the idea of putting them in her husband’s drinks.

Mr Knight was admitted to hospital suffering from acute kidney failure but there was no sign of ingesting anti-freeze.

By April 12 he suffered brain damage and lost his sight and hearing, and almost died.

Kate Knight had said she did not put anti-freeze in her husband’s wine and had not told Miss Johnson that was what she planned to do.

Knight is expected to be sentenced next month.