A JEALOUS man who stabbed his former girlfriend’s new lover as he slept in bed with her has been jailed for 12 years.

Graham Clarke, 25, broke into 19-year-old Demi Dettmer’s home in the middle of the night and carried out a frenzied knife attack.

The Northern Echo: ORDEAL: Demi Dettmer, 19, with Scott Bennett, 25

ORDEAL: Demi Dettmer and Scott Bennett

His baby daughter was an adjoining room when he broke into the house on Forster Street in Consett, County Durham, in the early hours of Monday, October 3.

Scott Bennett, who was stabbed almost ten times, could easily have died during the terrifying ordeal.

He was taken to the RVI in Newcastle for emergency treatment and police were called.

Clarke fled and was in hiding but detectives issued his picture and urged him to hand himself in.

He did so on Thursday, October 6, and was initially charged with attempted murder.

He denied it and was due to stand trial at Newcastle Crown Court but, in March, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of wounding with intent, as well as criminal damage and breach of a restraining order 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.

Clarke, of Woody Close, Consett, was sentenced to a total of 12 years at Sheffield Crown Court by Mr Justice Langstaff from the High Court yesterday afternoon.

Detective Sergeant Jason Corbett, from Consett CID, said: “The sentencing given by the judge today reflects the severity of this crime and will undoubtedly provide Graham with time to think about his actions and the pain he has caused.”

Miss Dettmer, a care worker, was Clarke’s girlfriend for four years, but they split in January last year.

She began a relationship with Mr Bennett, who works as a delivery driver, two months later.

Clarke had threatened them and he was made the subject of a restraining order in June. Six weeks later he smashed the windows of Mr Bennett’s BMW and keyed the car. The attack in their home has left the couple traumatised.

DS Corbett said: “This was a callous, premeditated attack on two innocent people who were asleep in their beds and although it will take time and support for them to come to terms with what happened.

“I hope today’s sentence will provide the platform they need to help them in moving on with their lives.”