A CARLISLE man has pleaded guilty to attempted murder after he left a woman with life-threatening stab injuries.

At the city’s crown court, 39-year-old Matthew Ryan entered a guilty plea to a single count of attempting to murder a woman in Ellesmere Way, Carlisle, on the afternoon of  December 17 last year.

The victim, a woman in her 50s, was treated for her injuries at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, where she was put into an induced coma. At the time, doctors described her condition as “critical but stable.”

Police statements issued at the time confirmed that the woman was stabbed “multiple times.” She was later discharged from hospital.

In an earlier court appearance, prosecutor George Shelley gave a brief outline of the prosecution case. He said the woman had been stabbed multiple times, “primarily to the torso and back”.

In the aftermath of the incident, she was transported to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle where doctors said she sustained “three confirmed major stab wounds.”  She underwent emergency surgery.

In the aftermatch of the attack, police sealed off area around the scene of the stabbing and issued an urgent appeal for witness. 

At the time of Ryan's first court appearance, said Mr Shelley, the victim's condition was ‘stable,’ but she remained in an induced coma.”

During his latest court appearance, the defendant’s defence barrister Judith McCullough asked Judge Nicholas Barker to commission a background psychiatric report on the defendant in advance of sentence being passed.

Judge Barker pointed out that offences of attempted murder potentially attract a life sentence. He said he would not begin the sentencing exercise without a psychiatric assessment on the defendant.

Background Probation Service reports will also be prepared, examining among other issues whether the defendant poses a danger to the public.

Addressing the defendant, whose address has been given as Bannisdale Way, Morton, Carlisle, the judge said: “Matthew Ryan, you have pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted murder.

“The entry of your guilty plea will mean that court will take into account the credit you are entitled to when it comes to sentence. Sentence will take place on July 3.”

Stressing that the background report will assess the defendant’s risk factors, the judge confirmed that Ryan will be brought to court for the sentence hearing. In the meantime, he will remain remanded in custody.

No details of the offence were outlined in court.

But records show that Ryan has relevant previous criminal history. In 2015, he admitted possessing an offensive weapon – namely a machete with an 18-inch blade – in English Street, Carlisle.

At the time, he lived in East Norfolk Street, Denton Holme, Carlisle. The prosecutor for the attempted murder case was Arthur Gibson.