Man stabbed his on-off partner 39 times in the bath with a bread knife in Shoreham

Liam Hanley was found guilty of GBH with intent by a jury at Lewes Crown Court yesterday after a two and a half week trial. 

The 32-year-old attacked Sarah Harries in her flat on Shoreham Beach on September 4 last year and then ran away leaving her badly injured. 

Desperate Sarah, 37, made an urgent call to emergency services pleading with them to hurry to get to her quickly.

Emergency services rushed to her aid and found the flat covered in blood and Sarah crouched on the floor in the hallway.

Sarah had suffered stab wounds to her neck, abdomen and arms with the deepest wound to her neck. She suffered a punctured lung.

She was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital where she underwent emergency surgery. Miraculously Sarah survived her horrific injuries.

On September 4 the couple, who had been in an on-off relationship for around a year, spent the day in Shoreham where Sarah, 37, lived. 

They had visited Lidl to buy food and McDonalds for lunch.

At 6pm the couple went to the Ferry Inn pub for a drink and then went to Co-op to buy some tobacco.

When they returned home, Sarah ran herself a bath and got in. However a short time time later Hanley came into the bathroom and began stabbing her.

She managed to get out of the bath and fought him off.

During the fight they moved from the bathroom to the kitchen and then then he ran away from the flat.

Police launched an appeal to try and find Hanley, with officers beginning an extensive search.

On leaving the flat he had called a friend in Lancing who, unaware of what had happened, arranged for a lift with another friend to take Hanley to Slough in Berkshire.

During the journey Hanley asked to stop for a cigarette and dumped a bag of clothes at the side of the road.

The driver dropped him off and while returning home received an alert from the Sussex Police's Facebook page saying that Hanley was wanted.

The driver immediately returned to Hanley’s friend, who had already called the police and waited for officers there to give them details about what had happened.

The next day, after staying at another friend’s house, Hanley called police and then handed himself into custody in Maidenhead.

Detective Constable Katy Lewis said: ‘This was a horrific attack on a woman which came completely out of the blue, shocking Sarah herself and the close community in Shoreham.

There was no history of violence from Liam and Sarah was truly shocked by ferocious nature of the attack.

‘Sarah has thankfully made a recovery however the scars and some of her injuries will have an impact on her for the rest of her life.

‘She has bravely taken to the stand during the trial and faced Liam once again; I commend her for this and so grateful she is here to do so.’ 

Hanley has been remanded into custody and will be sentenced on May 10. 

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised, you can find support here.