Ex-Councillor Jailed for Stabbing Wife While She Soothed Baby

An ex-councillor received an 18-year prison sentence for repeatedly stabbing his wife as she comforted their infant child. Darren Brown, aged 35, was found guilty of attempted murder by a jury following the stabbing of his wife, Corinne, at their residence in Wildmill, Bridgend, on 10 July of the previous year. Mr. Brown served as an independent member of Bridgend Town Council, a position he relinquished two months subsequent to the assault. The presiding judge characterized the incident as a “brutal, sustained attack with a knife”. Brown, who previously represented the Morfa ward on Bridgend Town Council, was estranged from his wife yet continued to reside in the same dwelling. Testimony presented during the trial indicated that the couple had been engaged in a dispute because Mrs. Brown “fell out of love with him,” an argument that disturbed their baby. When Corinne Brown proceeded to comfort the infant, she was stabbed in the back. In a statement detailing the victim’s impact, Corinne Brown stated: “I can still replay every second in my mind.” “I can still feel the pain where Darren stabbed me,” she recounted. She further added, “I know Darren tried to kill me that night.” She also stated: “Luckily my children didn’t witness anything that night and are too young to understand what happened.” She expressed awareness that she would eventually need to explain the events to them. She conveyed that she has been “left physically and mentally scarred by Darren” and credited her children with sustaining her “through this horrible time.” During the sentencing, Judge Jeremy Jenkins remarked that subsequent to the couple’s separation, Mr. Brown “became withdrawn jealous and controlling.” The judge noted that Ms. Brown’s new partner constituted a “source of resentment” for him, prompting him to place covert recording devices in the distinct room where she slept. Judge Jenkins recounted that on the evening of the assault, Mrs. Brown implored him to cease. He stated that as she inserted the pacifier into her child’s mouth, she was “in no position to defend herself” when he stabbed her twice, subsequently pursuing her to the bathroom to stab her once more. Judge Jenkins further commented that Brown absconded from the location, stating he was “leaving your wife on the bathroom floor with serious injuries” in a “brutal sustained attack with a knife which your deliberately took to use.” “It was the ultimate act of cowardice to stab her in the back on three separate occasions,” he declared. He concluded, “Your intention to kill her, was clear.” Darren Brown received an 18-year sentence, with a minimum of two-thirds to be served in custody prior to eligibility for release on licence. Additionally, an indefinite restraining order was imposed, prohibiting Mr. Brown from making contact with Corinne Brown or approaching her workplace or any other locations where she might reside or be present. Detective Inspector Owain Morrison of South Wales Police commented: “The audio recording proved crucial evidence in the case as it corroborated the victim’s account and a number of key facts that she had mentioned during her interview could be heard on the recording, including the suspect kicking the bathroom door through after the victim had sought refuge there.” He further stated that the sentencing demonstrated the force’s commitment to “will relentlessly pursue those who perpetrate violence against women and girls and bring them to justice.” Hannah West, representing the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), remarked: “Any one of the wounds could have been fatal and the evidence we presented to the jury demonstrated Brown’s intention was to kill his wife.” She also expressed hope that his could “take comfort from knowing her husband has been brought to justice for this appalling attack.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.