A raging lover who tried to murder a woman he was having an affair with by stabbing her in the neck has been jailed for 25 years.
Brett Fenwick, 36, had been seeing Louise Pearce behind the back of Gareth Mallaburn and became enraged when she refused to leave the father of her children.
The two men were both kitchen porters at Alnwick Garden at the time, where Ms Pearce also worked as a cleaner.
After drinking heavily, Fenwick and his brother, Blaine, turned up at Ms Pearce and Mr Mallaburn’s home in Alnwick.
Brett Fenwick, 36, had been seeing Louise Pearce (pictured) behind the back of Gareth Mallaburn and tried to kill her when she refused to leave him
They barged into the house and Fenwick stabbed Mr Mallaburn in the neck.
When he fled, bleeding profusely, Fenwick then launched a shocking knife attack on Ms Pearce, acting ‘like a man possessed’ and stabbing her in the neck and face.
She has been left scarred for life, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Now Fenwick, who admitted the attempted murder of Ms Pearce and was found guilty of wounding with intent on Mr Mallaburn, has been locked up for 25 years.
His brother Blaine, convicted of wounding with intent on Mr Mallaburn, got 10 years.
As they were jailed, Ms Pearce said in a victim impact statement: ‘I can only describe the attack on me as horrific, by a man I believed, at the time, truly loved me.
After drinking heavily, Fenwick (pictured) and his brother, Blaine, turned up at Ms Pearce and Mr Mallaburn’s home in Alnwick
‘He showered me with dozens of loving texts and told me daily he would look after me and my children, that he would protect us.
‘In a split second, with no provocation, he attacked me It was the kind of attack people can never imagine happening to them. It felt like a lifetime and I have never been so afraid and in need of protection.’
She added: ‘I’ve got permanent discomfort due to the damage caused to my face and neck.
‘When I look at myself in the mirror I feel ugly and make every effort to cover my neck with a scarf, which is uncomfortable in the summer when it’s hot.
‘I’m very self-conscious and worry about people looking at me and staring.
When he fled, bleeding profusely, Fenwick then launched a shocking knife attack (pictured is the knife used) on Ms Pearce, acting ‘like a man possessed’ and stabbing her in the neck and face
‘I struggle to sleep, regularly shout out and have nightmares and have suffered mentally as well as physically.
‘The emotional impact on my children has been awful. They cling to me and get upset by my injuries. They are frightened I won’t come back to them when I go out.’
Ms Pearce added: ‘I did not deserve to be attacked and abandoned in my neighbour’s garden to die. He was the last person I believed would hurt me. I loved him.’
Mr Mallaburn added: ‘I was attacked by a man I once considered to be my friend. I never thought for a minute he would attack me the way he did.
‘I really thought I was going to die that night when he came in my house. I think he thought if he could not have Louise, then no one could.’
Mr Mallaburn said his relationship with Ms Pearce is now over.
The court heard it was late on Boxing Day night in 2018 that the Fenwicks turned up at the couple’s home on Howling Lane, Alnwick.
Fenwick, who admitted the attempted murder of Ms Pearce (pictured with Mr Mallaburn) and was found guilty of wounding with intent on Mr Mallaburn, has been locked up for 25 years
When Ms Pearce answered the door, they barged in and ran upstairs looking to confront Mr Mallaburn, who defended himself with a shelf.
Prosecutor Mark Giuliani said: ‘What happened then was when they went back to her home, she was subjected to a prolonged and vicious knife attack, initially in the living room.
‘Brett Fenwick was shouting that she was pathetic and would never leave Mr Mallaburn. They ended up in the living room next to the Christmas tree.
‘He started to stab her. She couldn’t see the knife but saw blood running down her neck.
‘He started hacking at her face.’
When Fenwick went into the kitchen, Ms Pearce feared, correctly, that he was getting another knife and ran out to seek refuge at a neighbour’s home.
Mr Giuliani: ‘As she tried to escaped to the neighbour’s home, he ran out and jumped over the fence, forced her to the ground and started stabbing her again.’
During the ‘ferocious’ attack, Louise begged him to stop and told him she loved him.
Neighbours were disturbed by the ‘horrendous’ noise of the attack, the court heard.
Witness Claire Miller saw Fenwick ‘executing a prolonged vicious attack on Ms Pearce, who he was by now trying to kill,’ Mr Giuliani said.
‘He was punching and kicking her all over her face and head.
‘Louise Pearce was covered in blood and screaming, pleading for him to stop..’
Miss Miller told Fenwick to leave Ms Pearce alone and that the police were coming.
Mr Giuliani told the court: ‘She said he was like a man possessed, a complete maniac. She feared for her safety and that of her children so she closed the door and locked it.
‘She looked out to see him maintaining his attempt to kill her. She was curled up in a ball with him repeatedly kicking and punching her, beating her, kicking her to the head.
‘In her words ‘he was beating her to a pulp’.
‘Miss Miller then saw Louise Pearce was lying on her back on the lawn, drenched in blood, begging him to stop and saying ”I love you, I will leave Gareth for you”.
‘He did not stop, he stood over her, kicking her head and body.
‘He was holding a knife and the attack continued.
‘He straddled her chest and stomach, pinning her down as he beat her head, continually hitting her.’
Mr Giuliani added: ‘Miss Pearce was lying motionless on the lawn and Claire Miller thought she was dead.
‘She was neither speaking nor moving.’
Another neighbour heard Ms Pearce saying ‘please don’t, I’ve got kids’ and heard her repeatedly shouting for help.
She then heard Fenwick saying: ‘I’m the hardman of Barresdale’.
Ms Pearce continued to plead with Fenwick, saying ”I love you, don’t, go” and the neighbour heard gargling noises between her words due to serious knife wounds to her neck.
She had multiple stab wounds, including deep wounds to her neck and required emergency surgery.
Home Office pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper said: ‘There can be no doubt her life was significantly endangered and she’s lucky to be alive.’
As well as the prison sentence, both Fenwicks were given indefinite restraining orders banning them from contacting Ms Pearce, Mr Mallaburn or their children.
Lorraine Mustard, for Brett Fenwick, said he had loved Ms Pearce.
Of the attack, she said: ‘It can be described probably best in a single word: rage.
‘It was a spontaneous attempt to kill.
‘He shows genuine remorse for the attack.’
Mark Styles, for Blaine Fenwick, says: ‘This offence was wholly out of character, it was his first offence and probably his last every offending.
‘It’s a tragic situation. He took leave of his senses and was fuelled by drink.’