An electrician who tried to murder his ex-wife in a frenzied knife attack at her Woodplumpton home has been jailed for 18 years.
Paul Walerysiak, 52, drove to the house in Low Croft and set upon his ex partner Debbie - from whom he had been separated for 11 years, leaving her with a deep gash to her neck, which narrowly missed her jugular vein.
As Mrs Walerysiak screamed for help, a witness came in to the kitchen, interrupting the attacker and causing him to flee the scene.
Walerysiak’s car keys were found outside the back door of the bungalow, which Walerysiak had renovated before the couple divorced.
However the weapon and a jacket worn by Walerysiak at the time of the attack were never recovered.
Following the attack, Walerysiak rang the police and reported his BMW - which was found in Broughton, less than a mile from the scene - had been stolen.
Throughout the week long trial at Preston Crown Court, Walerysiak, of St George’s Road,Deepdale, maintained both his ex wife and the witness, who had known the attacker all his life, had been mistaken, insisting he was not responsible for Mrs Walerysiak’ s injuries.
Mrs Walerysiak said her husband had been “jovial” throughout their marriage and there had been no history of domestic violence between them.
Judge Stuart Baker, sentencing, said the attack was very much out of character but said Mrs Walerysiak and the witness “will inevitably remember for a very long time and into the future what happened that evening.”
He added: “The attack came as a total surprise and shock to her.”