'I woke to find jealous ex stabbing my boyfriend in bed' - women tells of terrifying ordeal when partner knifed 10 times

Demi Dettmer, 19, was in bed, asleep with Scott Bennett, 25, when Graham Clarke suddenly appeared in the middle of the night and stabbed him ten times.

The 24-year-old’s baby daughter was in an adjoining room when he broke into the house in Consett, County Durham.

ORDEAL: Demi Dettmer, 19, with Scott Bennett, 25

Miss Dettmer, a care worker, told The Northern Echo: “It was a total shock. I thought it was a dream. I could just hear Scott shouting my name and screaming.

“When I woke I could see Graham there, standing over the top of us.

“He was stabbing him. I thought he was going to kill him. I thought Scott was dying.”

The couple got engaged last month, just before Valentine’s Day, but have both been left traumatised by the ordeal.

Miss Dettmer said: “When Scott stood up the blood started gushing from him. Graham just walked out of the bedroom. I went to get my little girl because I was panicking thinking ‘God, I hope he hasn’t taken her’.

“He was gone by the time the police got there, so he must have ran.”

Miss Dettmer was Clarke’s girlfriend for four years, and they have a daughter together, who is two in June.

But they split in January last year and Miss Dettmer began a relationship with Mr Bennett, who works as a delivery driver, two months later.

The couple said Clarke had threatened them and he was made the subject of a restraining order in June - but that did not stop him smashing the windows of Mr Bennett’s BMW and keying the car six weeks later.

Demi Dettmer, whose jealous ex-boyfriend Graham Clarke crept into her home in the middle of the night and stabbed her new partner Scott Bennett ten times while they were sleeping. Pictured with Scott. Picture: NORTH NEWS

He broke into their Forster Street home in the early hours of Monday, October 3.

Mr Bennett said: “I thought I was dead. It was pretty scary. I was in shock. I thought he was punching me.

“I could not feel anything, but I remember everything. He hit a vein in my leg and blood was squirting out.

“We went to hospital and got all stitched up, but I lost loads of blood.”

Mr Bennett was taken to the RVI in Newcastle for emergency treatment.

Police were called and detectives issued a picture of Clarke with an appeal for him to hand himself in.

He did so at Durham City Police Station at 9.30pm on Thursday, October 6, and was initially charged with attempted murder.

He denied it and was due to stand trial at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday - but Clarke refused to leave his cell at Holme House Prison to attend.

On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of wounding with intent, meaning Mr Bennett and Miss Dettmer do not have to relive the horrific experience on the witness stand.

Mr Bennett said: “It had been going on since March, with the threats and criminal damage on my car.

“I did not think it would come to this though.

“I am still waiting on an appointment for counselling and have had physiotherapy. It has been very stressful

“I am relieved that he is away now. That is where he deserves to be. He deserves a long sentence.”

Clarke, of Woody Close, Consett, is to be sentenced for wounding with intent, criminal damage and breach of a restraining order, having pleaded to guilty to all three charges.

Counts of attempted criminal damage on August 23, breach of a restraining order on September 28 and criminal damage on October 2 are to lie on file.

Proceedings were overseen by a judge from the High Court, Mr Justice Langstaff, who formally returned ‘not guilty’ verdict for the attempted murder charge.

Clarke, who wore a grey jumper and grey jogging bottoms, was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing of Friday, April 7.

The hearing was adjourned so pre-sentence reports could be prepared by the Probation Service and the issue of dangerousness could be assessed.

The judge said: “I will hear what has to be said for you and against you and consider any reports. You will then know what awaits.”