ENGLAND: A spurned lover concealed a large knife in a bouquet of flowers before carrying out a “terrible” assault on her former lover’s wife, North Yorkshire Police said.

Clare Bailey, 44, drove from Dudley to Harrogate wearing a red wig, facemask and sunglasses to confront the 43-year-old at her house in June 2022.

Bailey had been cheating with the woman’s husband but had “failed to cope” with the breakup, police said.

At Leeds Crown Court on Friday, she was sentenced to 22 years and four months in prison.

Bailey, of The Riddings, Pedmore, in Dudley, had admitted to trying to kill her victim after the attack put her in hospital for a month with many injuries.

Her affair with the woman’s husband had ended several months before the attack, North Yorkshire Police said.

A force spokesperson said Bailey had taken a sick day at work on 22 June last year and drove to Harrogate, getting to the North Yorkshire town at about 17:00 BST.

On the way to her victim’s house in Byland Road, she stopped at a store to get a bouquet of flowers to hide the knife.

Police said when the victim opened her door, Bailey “stabbed and cut the victim many times on her neck, chest, stomach and arms”.

The victim’s daughter, who was at home then, tried to stop her even though she was scared Bailey would hurt her. She got away without injuries.

After the assault, Bailey drove back to the West Midlands where she was caught three days later.

Because of her injuries, the victim – who police have called Emma – had a lot of surgery and stayed in hospital for more than a month.

In a statement after Bailey was jailed, Emma said she was in “pain every day” and now needed a wheelchair to go far.

She said that after the assault she had had flashbacks and nightmares, and that it had taken away her freedom.

She added: “I can’t think of what my daughter went through, to see what she did, to try and stop the assault.

“She is my hero, she will always be my little hero. I really don’t think I would be here if she hadn’t been home that day.”

Jonathan Sygrove, senior investigating officer from North Yorkshire Police, said: “This was a terrible assault on a harmless and innocent lady who now can’t feel safe in her own home, work, or spend time alone with her children, because of it.

“Emma had to stay in hospital for weeks away from her family getting treatment for injuries that should never have happened. All she did was open the front door to her home.”