Man who tried to strangle his wife jailed for 14 years

Vincent Hudson could not come to terms with the end of his marriage and his wife Lynne starting a new relationship and attacked her in her home, telling her if he could not have her no man could.

It was only the courage of the couple's 15-year-old son, who intervened and punched his father, that ended his attack.

After sentencing Hudson yesterday at Leeds Crown Court, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC paid tribute to the teenager who had "the significant misfortune to witness what happened".

"He should understand in giving evidence in the way he did demonstrated maturity way beyond his 15 years. He probably saved his mother's life and the court is particularly grateful to him."

Hudson, 46, then of Beeston, Leeds, was found guilty by a jury last month of attempted murder.

Jailing him Judge Marson said: "In the weeks leading up to this offence you became obsessive and your behaviour became more extreme. There were regular phone calls and texts checking your wife's whereabouts. You were quite unable to accept her new relationship and attacked her in her own home knowing your 15-year-old son was upstairs."

He said Hudson completely lost control and grabbed her by the throat, saying: "It ends and ends now" before sitting astride her and squeezing tightly.

Mrs Hudson believed she was going to die and when their son saw what was happening, he described to the jury, the veins in Hudson's arms were standing out because "he was using all his strength to try and kill her". He also described his mother turning blue.

Judge Marson said that even afterwards Hudson remained in the house for some hours, continuing to issue menacing threats before he finally left.

Michael Smith, prosecuting, had told the jury the couple were married for 14 years before they split up in 2007. Mrs Hudson said that the day before the attack her husband had told her: "Our wedding vows were made for life and we were together forever and that's how it should be." She said she still suffered flashbacks.

Hudson had denied intending to kill his wife although he accepted assaulting her.

Timothy Jacobs, representing him, told the court he acknowledged the events would have had a traumatic effect particularly for his son but he was apologetic from an early stage.

After the case, Detective Inspector Tim Hunt said: "Cases like this epitomise just how incidents of domestic violence can escalate."

Mrs Hudson said in a statement: "Hopefully cases like mine will help to highlight the seriousness of domestic violence and encourage other women to come forward."