Northampton jury finds man guilty of stabbing ex-girlfriend nine times in front of her children

Jurors and police officers wept in court as a Northamptonshire man was found guilty of stabbing his ex-partner in front of her children.
Northampton Crown CourtNorthampton Crown Court
Northampton Crown Court

Riza Guzelyurt, aged 30, attacked his ex-partner as she left her home in Coltsfoot Road, Rushden, with her two teenaged children on March 19 last year after she refused to drop charges against him for harrassment.

As she lay on the floor she was stabbed - witnesses say up to nine times - with a kitchen knife and sustained life-changing injuries to her abdomen, leg and arm, which left her believing she was going to die.

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Guzelyurt was only stopped by the actions of his victim’s ex-husband who happened to be nearby and who managed to flick the weapon out of the attacker’s hand and into a bush using his sweatshirt.

Northampton Crown Court heard yesterday that Guzelyurt casually walked away across a children’s playground, pursued by his victim’s son who was yelling at him.

He was later arrested and charged with seven offences, including harrassment - of which he was cleared - several counts of intimidation and attempted murder.

After the jury unanimously found him guilty of the latter two offences, Judge Rupert Mayo said Guzelyurt should expect to be given a life sentence when he next returns to court.

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Jonathan Straw, who prosecuted the case, had read out a victim impact statement that saw several members of the jury - and a police officer - in tears.

“I have sustained life-changing injuries and if it wasn’t for the actions of the paramedics, I beleive I would have died that day,” he said.

Speaking of her children her statement added: “I believe they will never be the same after what he did to me that day.”

Judge Mayo afterwards commended both the actions of the victim’s neighbours in the aftermath of the attack and the skills of the Turkish interpreter, who had to take direct instructions after Guzelyurt sacked his barrister - which the judge branded “a delaying tactic”.

Finally, he discharged the jurors from any further jury service for the rest of their lives, such was the harrowing nature of the case.

Guzelyurt will be sentenced later this month.