A hedge fund trader who injured her husband with a knife as their marriage broke up has been jailed for 15 months.
Nasreen Knight, 37, also threatened to kill her husband’s new partner after turning up drunk at the family home in Hough on the Hill, between Grantham and Newark.
Lincoln Crown Court heard Knight had been involved in a previous incident with her husband, Julian Knight, eight days earlier when he returned from a medical appointment in London.
On that occasion Mrs Knight lunged at her husband and then smashed his glasses. Moments later she went on to attack him in the laundry room of their Lincolnshire farmhouse.
The court heard Mrs Knight also rammed his Land Rover Defender with her Nissan, and when Mr Knight’s new partner, Erika Hillyer turned up, she was also attacked.
Mrs Knight was arrested and charged following the incident in January but bailed on condition she did not return to the house.
But eight days later she was back at the property demanding her husband drop the charges as she feared it would prevent her taking up a position with Bloomberg, the court heard.
Mark Achurch, prosecuting, said this time Mrs Knight armed herself with a seven-inch bladed knife, and after a struggle with her husband, who was left “bleeding profusely”, ran through the house shouting she was going to kill Ms Hillyer.
From her hiding place under the stairs Ms Hillyer was able to call police.
Mr Achurch told the court: “On January 11 Mr Knight had been in London having an MRI scan on his heart. Ms Hillyer dropped him off at a house in his village and he walked home.
“As he was doing so he received a message from the defendant saying she was at the family home. When he arrived the defendant was there demanding to know where he had spent the previous night.
“She lunged at him trying to grab his telephone no doubt to try and gain information about the relationship. She grabbed his glasses. The force was such that the lens popped out.
“Mr Knight took the decision to leave the home. She told him that if he left she would follow in her car. There was a further incident when she tried to grab his phone again. She hit him with her fist to the left side of his head. That shook him.
“About 10 minutes after that he was in the laundry room. He was kneeling on the floor in front of one of the machines.
“She attacked him punching him to the torso, kicking him to the right thigh and was kicking him to the right side of the face. She was wearing sturdy outdoor-style boots. That kick knocked his glasses off. She then kicked him to the left knee.”
Later when Mr Knight attempted to drive away her Nissan collided with the rear of his vehicle. It was then that Miss Hillyer arrived.
Mr Achurch said: “The defendant lunged out at her throwing punches and pulling her hair. Mr Knight tried to intervene but the defendant kicked out. The defendant then continued.
“She grabbed Ms Hillyer by the pony tail. She pulled it so hard that Erika Hillyer thought her hair may come out of her head.
“She caused Erika Hillyer’s head to bang against the car. Ms Hillyer suffered a sore head and lumps as well as scratches to her face. Mr Knight drove off followed by the defendant who drove her car into the rear of his. The defendant was arrested shortly afterwards.”
Mrs Knight was charged following the incident and bailed by magistrates not to contact Mr Knight or go to his address.
Mr Achurch said that eight days later Mr Knight discovered his wife in his kitchen in breach of her bail conditions.
“She asked him to drop the charges. She said she wouldn’t be able to get a job with Bloomberg if she had those charges hanging over her.”
Mrs Knight left but was back four hours later having apparently been involved in a road accident during the interim period.
Mr Achurch added: “Mr Knight saw her staggering back towards the property from the gate where she had been dropped off. She had facial injuries and was carrying a bottle of vodka. Because she was injured he decided to let her in to give her treatment.
“She was lying down incomprehensible either through drink or the accident or both.
“The defendant grabbed a kitchen knife from the drawer where it was kept. She lunged out at him holding the knife in a dagger style position. He grappled with her. In the course of that struggle his finger was cut and it bled fairly profusely. He was able to get the knife off her.
“She was shouting ‘Where is Erika? I want to kill her.”
“There was a further struggle. She punched Mr Knight to the face, bit him to the right shoulder and pulled his hair.
“She was able to knock him to the floor and grabbed the knife for a second time. She then ran around the house with the knife looking for Erika. She was shouting ‘You can’t hide. I’m going to get you.’
“Erika was hiding in an under stairs type area. Having heard the shouting Ms Hillyer called the police.
“She says in her victim personal statement just how terrified she was. The police arrived and arrested the defendant. They describe her as being drunk.”
Mr Achurch added: “Mr Knight describes the incident as leaving him nervous about leaving his house. He has been having nightmares about the incident and has been on edge.”
Nasreen Knight, 37, of Hough Road, Frieston, admitted two charges of assault by beating and a further charge of criminal damage arising from the incident on January 11. She admitted affray and assault occasioning actual bodily harm on January 19. She was jailed for 15 months.
Judge Simon Hirst rejected a defence plea that her jail sentence should be suspended.
He said: “You are a highly educated woman. You speak five languages and you were a hedge fund trader in London.
“These offences occurred at a very difficult time during the break down of your marriage. There was a degree of goading.
“I’m afraid the level of violence, the use of a weapon and the persistent nature of the offending on two separate days means this is so serious that there must be an immediate custodial sentence.”
Clarkson Baptiste, in mitigation, said: “She is of previous good character. She is very sorry for what she has done.
“Her whole life had been turned upside down. She feels that she had been usurped by another.
“She realises that the relationship with her ex partner is over.”
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The 2024 Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are now open for nominations, seeking to spotlight outstanding businesses within the Greater Lincolnshire area.
Hosted by Stonebow Media, the publisher behind The Lincolnite and the MyLocal platform, this prestigious event is designed to honour the achievements of the regional business community.
Thanks to the headline sponsorship from the University of Lincoln Enterprise & Research department, the Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are a unique opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of local enterprises.
The awards are also sponsored by Ringrose Law, Duncan & Toplis, Sills & Betteridge and Pearson Hydraulics. A small number of sponsorship opportunities remain available. Contact [email protected] to discuss partnerships.
Businesses can nominate themselves across eleven awards categories:
The deadline for nominations is May 24, with the judges’ deliberation lunch set for May 29.The judging panel includes business experts and professionals from Lincolnshire and event sponsors.
The Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards 2024 gala will take place at the Engine Shed on July 12, 2024.
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Pet Psychic Beth Lee-Crowther comes to the aid of pet owners and in Tuesday night’s episode she met Cookie the kitten, a depressed camel, and looked at whether a dog can predict the future.