Latest news with #MatthewJones
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Plan for 130 new homes in Blandford St Mary gets go-ahead
A plan for 130 new homes has been given the go-ahead after it was originally turned down by a Hallam Land Management appealed the application for land north of Ward's Drove in Blandford St Mary after it was rejected by Dorset authority said it was concerned about the impact on the Cranborne Chase National Landscape and on nearby listed buildings, including the village's Grade II* listed St Mary's planning inspector Matthew Jones said the impact on them would be acceptable and approved the application on 21 May. Mr Jones said he acknowledged there might be some impact on local services but that it was not the role of the development "to alleviate existing issues or the effects of other developments".The new homes will sit close to Bellway's 350-home development, St Mary's Hill. You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
South Wales Argus
14-05-2025
- South Wales Argus
In court from Newport, Abertillery, Ebbw Vale and Caerphilly
Matthew Jones, 35, of Roman Way, Caerleon, Newport has been banned from driving for six months after pleading guilty to using a handheld mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle and driving whilst not wearing a seat belt on Henllys Way, Cwmbran on September 13 last year. He must pay £596 in fines, costs and a surcharge. Nicola Williams, 51, of Mount Pleasant Court, Brynithel, Abertillery was sentenced to a 12-month community order after she pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm on July 4 last year. She must complete a 10-day rehabilitation activity requirement and pay £319 in a fine, costs and a surcharge. Daniel Gittings, 34, of Llangynidr Road, Beaufort, Ebbw Vale was banned from driving for 18 months after he pleaded guilty to drink driving with 73 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on The Circle, Tredegar on April 11. He must pay £253 in a fine, costs and a surcharge. Daniel White, 32, of Bowcott Avenue, Llantilio Pertholey, Monmouthshire must pay £818 in a fine, costs and a surcharge after he was found guilty following a trial of allowing a fighting dog – an XL Bully named Tanner – to be in a public place without a muzzle in Abergavenny on June 18 last year. Jacob Johns, 30, of Central Street, Pwllypant, Caerphilly was banned from driving for three years after he pleaded guilty to drink driving with 60 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on St Christopher's Drive on April 10. He must pay £205 in a fine and costs. Nikki Griffiths, 42, of no fixed abode, Caerphilly was ordered to pay £185 in a fine and costs after pleading guilty to stealing a bottle of wine from Asda on May 8. William Harris, 38, of Claude Road, Caerphilly was conditionally discharged for nine months after he pleaded guilty to a public order offence and possession of amphetamine on April 11. He must pay £111 in costs and a surcharge. Ian Williams, 47, of McDonnell Road, Bargoed, Caerphilly was conditionally discharged for nine months after he admitted being drunk and disorderly on Bryn Road, Markham, near Blackwood on April 12. He must pay £111 in costs and a surcharge. Christopher Cook, 31, of Church Road, Gelligaer, Caerphilly was banned from driving for six months after he admitted driving while disqualified on Merthyr Road, Abergavenny on March 3. He must pay £253 in a fine, costs and a surcharge. Lewis Hackney, 34, of Y Cilgant, Penyrheol, Caerphilly must pay £197 in a fine, costs and a surcharge after pleading guilty to obstructing a constable in the execution of his duty on Heol Aneurin on February 28.
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Daily Mail
'Don't show me any respect...I'm a monster': Moment jilted teacher tells police he stabbed his ex-girlfriend 15 times in 'brutal and frenzied attack' because she dumped him
This is the shocking moment a jilted teacher tells police he stabbed his ex-girlfriend 15 times because she dumped him. Matthew Jones, 29, says, 'Don't show me any respect; I'm a monster' as he is arrested for unleashing a 'mercilessly ferocious' attack on Emma Kirk, 25. Miss Kirk was left with injuries to her neck, head, and face following the brutal assault in Bath on February 12, 2024. Bristol Crown Court heard Jones attacked Miss Kirk because he would not accept she did not want to see him again. The assault was so frenzied it took five men to drag Jones off his victim and even then he tried to strangle her, jurors were told. Jones has been jailed for 12 years after he was acquitted by a jury of attempted murder but pleaded guilty to causing grievously bodily harm with intent. Sam Jones, prosecuting, said the two met at university, becoming 'really good friends' and later 'romantically involved' by being 'intimate on one or two occasions'. The attack took place on February 26 last year in Bath, Somerset, after Miss Kirk told Jones she did not wish to see him again but agreed to meet to return gifts he had bought her. 'The attack was sustained and repeated and involved him stabbing her in the neck, face and head,' Mr Jones said. The assault was so frenzied it took five men to drag Jones off his victim and even then he tried to strangle her, jurors were told 'While on the ground he stabbed her 15 times in a brutal and frenzied attack. Witnesses described him as a "man possessed". 'Both of her lungs were punctured. She tried to fight back and she suffered multiple wounds to her hands as she grabbed at the blade. 'But for the way she fought back and for the bravery of others she would have been killed. 'He stabbed her multiple times to the neck - one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. 'It took five men to drag the defendant off her and disarm him of the knife. Even then he continued to try and grab Emma and tried to strangle her when he was being pulled back.' An off-duty police officer, members of the public and paramedics went to assist Miss Kirk in the lane close to Dransfield Way, and administered first aid. 'But for those actions, Emma's life would have been lost,' Mr Jones said. 'She had suffered life-threatening injuries as a result of the defendant's attack upon her.' Eyewitnesses filmed the aftermath of the attack and Miss Kirk can be heard saying 'I am going to die'. Mr Jones said: 'He was arrested and when he was arrested, he told the police, "Don't show me any respect. I am a monster. I don't deserve it".' In the run-up to the incident, the defendant had turned up to her place of work and would message her wanting to meet up, the court heard. 'Emma Kirk made it clear she did not want a relationship. She described it as him having an unhealthy obsession with her,' Mr Jones said. 'He could not take her 'no' to him as an answer so he decided that if she did not want to be with him, she wouldn't be with anyone else.' Jones later told police it was Miss Kirk who had brought the knife to the scene, and he had taken it from her during a struggle in which they both ended up on the floor. The defendant, of Ivy Avenue, Southdown, Bath, was found not guilty of attempted murder and having an article with a blade or point in a public place. He previously admitted grievous bodily harm with intent - meaning he had intended to cause Miss Kirk serious harm but had not intended to kill her. Michael Haynes, defending, said Jones had shown the 'appropriate level of remorse that one would expect'. 'He has seen the effect of the trial upon himself and his parents and the family of Emma and Emma herself,' he said. 'He is all too conscious of what happened, and it shouldn't have happened.' In a victim impact statement, Miss Kirk said the impact of the attack had left her in a coma for a week. 'This was an awful episode and when I was heavily sedated, I didn't know whether I was dead or alive,' she said. 'My family were told by the surgeon that operated on me that the fact that I had survived the attack was a miracle. 'When I first woke up in hospital, I was absolutely terrified for mine and my family's safety. 'One of the hardest things trying to comprehend is that someone I trusted, a fellow teacher, could act in such a way.' She added that as a result of the attack she had been unable to work for a year and had developed PTSD and depression. Ms Kirk's sister Lucy Hedges said the family 'feel the not guilty verdict remains an injustice'. 'Sadly knife crime, violence against women and girls and misogynistic attitudes are on the rise. Violence is never acceptable,' she added. Passing sentence, Judge Julian Lambert said Jones was 'dangerous' and passed an extended sentence comprising of a 12-year custodial term, with an extended licence period of four years - describing it as an 'extreme case'. 'There was an arrangement for you to meet and no one could have predicted what happened next which was a ferocious assault rarely seen before in the experience of the court. 'You pursued her and pulled her to the ground by her hair and while you were on top of her you stabbed her 15 times in a brutal and ferocious attack. You were described as a man possessed. 'What you did was so unpredictable and so mercilessly ferocious and persistent that I am left with the conclusion that you are dangerous. 'I have concluded that you will remain unpredictable for some considerable time. 'This was such an extreme reaction to a low level trigger that I consider that the risk is present for a considerable time to come.' He will serve at least eight years in custody before he can apply for parole with the remainder of the sentence served on licence. Jones was also made subject of an indefinite restraining order not to contact Miss Kirk.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- The Sun
Teacher who stabbed his ex-girlfriend 15 times after she rejected him is jailed for 12 years
A TEACHER who brutally stabbed his ex-girlfriend after she rejected him has been jailed for 12 years. Matthew Jones, 29, stabbed Emma Kirk, 25, around 15 times with a knife - causing serious injuries to her neck, head and face. 2 2 Sam Jones, prosecuting, said the two met at university, becoming "really good friends" and later "romantically involved". Bristol Crown Court heard Jones attacked Miss Kirk because he would not accept she did not want to see him again. The attack took place on February 26 last year in Bath, Somerset, after Miss Kirk told Jones she did not wish to see him again. She, however, agreed to meet to return gifts he had bought her. The attack was so brutal and frenzied that it took five men to drag Jones off his victim, and even then, he tried to strangle her, jurors were told. Mr Jones said: "The attack was sustained and repeated and involved him stabbing her in the neck, face and head. "While on the ground, he stabbed her 15 times in a brutal and frenzied attack. Witnesses described him as a 'man possessed'. "Both of her lungs were punctured. She tried to fight back, and she suffered multiple wounds to her hands as she grabbed at the blade. "But for the way she fought back and for the bravery of others, she would have been killed. "He stabbed her multiple times to the neck - one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. "It took five men to drag the defendant off her and disarm him of the knife. Even then, he continued to try and grab Emma and tried to strangle her when he was being pulled back." An off-duty police officer, members of the public and paramedics went to assist Miss Kirk in the lane close to Dransfield Way, and administered first aid. "But for those actions, Emma's life would have been lost," Mr Jones said. "She had suffered life-threatening injuries as a result of the defendant's attack upon her." Eyewitnesses filmed the aftermath of the attack, and Miss Kirk can be heard saying, "I am going to die". Mr Jones said: "He was arrested, and when he was arrested, he told the police, 'Don't show me any respect. I am a monster. I don't deserve it." In the run-up to the incident, the defendant had turned up to her place of work and would message her wanting to meet up, the court heard. "Emma Kirk made it clear she did not want a relationship. She described it as him having an unhealthy obsession with her," Mr Jones said. "He could not take her 'no' to him as an answer so he decided that if she did not want to be with him, she wouldn't be with anyone else." Jones later told police it was Miss Kirk who had brought the knife to the scene, and he had taken it from her during a struggle in which they both ended up on the floor. The defendant, of Ivy Avenue, Southdown, Bath, was found not guilty of attempted murder and having an article with a blade or point in a public place. He previously admitted grievous bodily harm with intent - meaning he had intended to cause Miss Kirk serious harm but had not intended to kill her. Michael Haynes, defending, said Jones had shown the "appropriate level of remorse that one would expect". "He has seen the effect of the trial upon himself and his parents and the family of Emma and Emma herself," he said. "He is all too conscious of what happened, and it shouldn't have happened." In a victim impact statement, Miss Kirk said the impact of the attack had left her in a coma for a week. "This was an awful episode, and when I was heavily sedated, I didn't know whether I was dead or alive," she said. "My family were told by the surgeon who operated on me that the fact that I had survived the attack was a miracle. "When I first woke up in the hospital, I was absolutely terrified for my and my family's safety. "One of the hardest things to comprehend is that someone I trusted, a fellow teacher, could act in such a way." She added that as a result of the attack, she had been unable to work for a year and had developed PTSD and depression. Passing sentence, Judge Julian Lambert said Jones was "dangerous" and passed an extended sentence comprising a 12-year custodial term, with an extended licence period of four years, describing it as an "extreme case". "There was an arrangement for you to meet, and no one could have predicted what happened next, which was a ferocious assault rarely seen before in the experience of the court. "You pursued her and pulled her to the ground by her hair, and while you were on top of her, you stabbed her 15 times in a brutal and ferocious attack. You were described as a man possessed. "What you did was so unpredictable and so mercilessly ferocious and persistent that I am left with the conclusion that you are dangerous. "I have concluded that you will remain unpredictable for some considerable time. "This was such an extreme reaction to a low-level trigger that I consider that the risk is present for a considerable time to come." He will serve at least eight years in custody before he can apply for parole, with the remainder of the sentence served on licence. Jones was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order not to contact Miss Kirk.
Sky News
10-05-2025
- Sky News
Teacher stabbed woman 15 times after she rejected him
A teacher has been jailed for stabbing a woman after she told him she did not want a relationship. Matthew Jones, 29, stabbed fellow teacher Emma Kirk, 25, more than 15 times, inflicting life-threatening injuries to her neck, face and head. Jones attacked Ms Kirk in Bath on 26 February last year when she returned gifts he had bought her after telling him that she did not want to see him again, Bristol Crown Court heard. The "brutal and frenzied" attack only ended when five men dragged Jones away from his victim, but jurors heard he still tried to grab and strangle Ms Kirk as he was being pulled back. "Both of her lungs were punctured. She tried to fight back and she suffered multiple wounds to her hands as she grabbed at the blade," Sam Jones, prosecuting, said. He added that witnesses described the knife-wielding teacher as a "man possessed". Jones was found not guilty of attempted murder and having an article with a blade or point in a public place, but admitted causing Ms Kirk grievous bodily harm. Jones claimed to police the knife had been brought to the scene by Miss Kirk, and he had taken it from her when they began to struggle. Defending, Michael Haynes said Jones had shown the "appropriate level of remorse that one would expect" and "is all too conscious of what happened, and it shouldn't have happened". The court saw footage of Ms Kirk saying "I am going to die" and of Jones telling officers arresting him that he was "a monster" who didn't "deserve" respect. Jurors were told that Jones and Ms Kirk had met at university and became "really good friends" before being "intimate on one or two occasions". But when Ms Kirk "made it clear she did not want a relationship", Jones allegedly developed an "unhealthy obsession" with her. "He could not take her 'no' to him as an answer, so he decided that if she did not want to be with him, she wouldn't be with anyone else," the prosecutor said. Ms Kirk said in a victim impact statement that the attack left her "terrified for mine and my family's safety" after waking up from a week-long coma. She said she developed PTSD and depression and had been unable to work for a year. "One of the hardest things is trying to comprehend is that someone I trusted, a fellow teacher, could act in such a way," she said. Judge Julian Lambert said the sentence needed to be adjusted for Jones's "previous good character" and the effort he was making in jail but he remained "dangerous", and sentenced him to 12 years in prison with four years on extended licence as a result, on Friday. Judge Lambert said: "What you did was so unpredictable and so mercilessly fierce and persistent I'm afraid... I consider you will remain unpredictable for some very considerable time in spite of the good work you're doing in prison."
