A man has been jailed for 20 years after stabbing his estranged wife in a graveyard, telling her "go to sleep with your mum".

David Norris, of Morgan Drive, Greenhithe, was found guilty of attempted murder at Maidstone Crown Court today (April 22).

The 51-year-old repeatedly stabbed his wife, Dionne Norris, in the graveyard of St Nicholas Church, Southfleet as she laid flowers at the grave of his grandmother on October 11 last year.

The pair, whose marriage had broken down in August that year, had arranged to meet up to lay flowers at the graves of the her mother and Norris's grandmother, as they did every year.

Norris collected his wife and they visited the first gravesite before having a conversation about their marriage and whether it could be saved.

Mrs Norris told him she did not feel she could forgive him for some of his actions and he told her she had destroyed their family.

She told him she did not want to argue and they agreed to carry on to the second graveyard as planned.

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While Mrs Norris was unwrapping a bouquet of flowers, Norris lingered at the car boot before walking over to join her.

He said: "If I can't have you, no one can have you", and then lunged at her, knocking her over and grabbing her round the throat.

Screaming, she managed to struggle free momentarily before he leapt on her again, brandishing a knife.

She begged him to think of their children but Norris stabbed her repeatedly.

A member of the public tried to intervene but Norris threatened him with the knife before turning to stab her again, telling her: "Go to sleep, go to sleep with your mum."

He walked away and the member of the public returned and called the police, comforting the victim until the emergency services arrived.

She suffered numerous stab wounds to her upper body, arms and hands, as well as a collapsed lung.       

Officers began searching for Norris, who had called his sons and an uncle and asked them to meet him in Longfield as soon as he had left the crime scene.

He met them and they convinced him to hand himself in to police.

He was arrested at North Kent Police Station in Thames Way and charged with attempted murder.

Senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Gavin Moss, said: "Norris attacked his estranged wife after she made it clear to him she had no interest in reconciling.

"He pounced on her when she was having a private moment of reflection in a graveyard and stabbed her repeatedly, ignoring her as she pleaded for her life.

"When he was arrested, he told officers he was a good man and had never done something so awful before.

"Kent Police had never received any reports of domestic abuse from either Norris or his victim but the violence and lack of mercy he demonstrated in this vicious assault show that he intended to kill his wife.

"It is extremely fortunate that she did not suffer any fatal injuries."