Claire Bridger, 64, stabbed her estranged husband Keith Bridger twice after discovering he had their rescue dogs put down – a jury found her not guilty of attempted murder
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Claire Bridger, 64 stabbed her estranged husband, Keith(Image: Facebook)
A woman who stabbed her husband twice after he had their two rescue dogs put down has been cleared of attempted murder.
School nurse, Claire Bridger, 64, admitted wounding with intent after stabbing Keith Bridger in both the chest and abdomen. A trial heard she may have suffered “temporary amnesia” when she “saw red” after finding out their “yappy” dachshunds had been put to sleep.
Jurors today took just two hours and 34 minutes to unanimously clear her of attempted murder, the Sun reports.
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Keith’s injuries were deemed life-threatening(Image: Facebook)
The court was told she “became hysterical” after arriving at the property where Keith was living only to learn that both pets had been destroyed.
Struggling to cope with the break up, she had been prescribed medication and was taking some time off work when one of her daughters urged her to come home because otherwise they would have to put the dogs down due to difficulties looking after them.
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Giving evidence, she said: “I thought it was nonsense. I thought that they would never put the dogs down, no matter what.
“There was no need… I thought it was a demand to make me come home.”
The couple had been together for almost 40 years but had separated a year before the alleged incident occurred on the evening of 17 July last year.
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She admitted she ‘saw red’(Image: Facebook)
The prosecution said the pair had taken in a rescue dog at their matrimonial home in Taverham, Norfolk, in March 2020, just days before the initial lockdown, before welcoming another one 12 months later.
Characterised as “quite noisy”, “bitey” and displaying “behavioural issues”, the dogs remained in Mr Bridger’s care following the breakdown of the couple’s relationship.
Yet he was unable to house them permanently in his one-bedroom flat in Bramerton, and attempts to rehome them had proved fruitless.
The prosecutor said: “He felt there was only one option and that was to have them put down.”
Recalling the moment she arrived at the property and after pouring herself a drink, Bridger said: “I just suddenly thought, I can’t hear the dogs because they were yappy.
”I shouted, ‘Where are the dogs?’ and he didn’t answer me. He was taking his helmet off, and I beeped my horn and shouted it again.”
Bridger said by the third time she shouted, she “started to feel a little bit anxious”.
She claimed he then told her: “You know what happened to the dogs. The dogs are dead. I had them put down.”
The mum told the court she opened the car door and was aware of her feet swinging out but could not remember anything else until she realised she was on top of her husband with a neighbour pressing down on her.
Keith described his wife as “almost hysterical.” He added: “She was screaming, ‘You killed my dogs, you killed my dogs’… The next thing I knew the knife went in me.”
When police arrived at the scene, she told one officer: “I am a bad lady.” She also announced “he killed my dogs” and said: “I just saw red”.
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The court heard Keith suffered “severe injuries which were deemed life threatening” – including a punctured lung.
A medical expert who carried out a psychiatric assessment stated that “a combination of alcohol and extreme emotional arousal” during the incident could have caused her amnesia.
She was found guilty of wounding with intent. Bridger has been remanded into custody ahead of sentencing on March 20.
