Bournemouth man jailed for attempted murder of his partner

Laurence James Vonderdell became “furious” towards his then partner and carried out the attempted murder at their Bournemouth home.

Winchester Crown Court heard Vonderdell only “came to his senses” when he thought the knife had broken.

He stopped attacking his girlfriend and called 999, telling police: “I have just stabbed my girlfriend. I stabbed her. I stabbed her in the back.”

Vonderdell, aged 53, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, with a five-year extended licence period, by Judge Jane Miller KC.

This was after the defendant was deemed to be a dangerous offender at the hearing on November 3.

Judge Miller KC told Vonderdell: “It is very clear to me that you have to be categorised as dangerous.”

She said the defendant posed a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm through the commission of further offences.

Laurence Vonderdell (Image: Dorset Police)

Prosecuting, Berenice Mulvanny said the attack took place at the couple’s home in Birch Drive, Townsend, at around 1.47am on June 29.

Ms Mulvanny said in his call to police the defendant said he needed to go to prison before stating that he had wanted to kill the victim.

“Police attended the scene and the defendant opened the door,” the prosecutor said.

Vonderdell urged officers to get his girlfriend to hospital, with him being described as only caring about her and not himself.

Police spoke to the victim while she was being treated by paramedics and she said she thought the defendant was going to kill her.

The court heard Vonderdell had gone to a Sainsbury’s store on June 28 to commit shoplifting offences armed with a knife as he wanted to be arrested and sent to prison.

When he was unsuccessful he returned home. The couple went to a friend’s property that evening before returning to their address. In the early hours of June 29 the defendant became annoyed and he decided to attack his partner.

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The victim, who suffered four superficial wounds and two more serious stab wounds, described Vonderdell as an “animal”.

Ms Mulvanny said the defendant had also smashed a cup on the victim’s head.

“She was frightened and thought he was going to kill her,” Ms Mulvanny said.

“She tried to run away and dodge the knife but tripped over his legs and fell onto the sofa.”

Vonderdell has schizophrenia and often suffers from delusions. In the months leading up to the offence his mental health had worsened, the court heard.

Kevin Hill, mitigating, said: “Mr Vonderdell made the 999 call to the police almost immediately after his attack and he admitted what he had done, saying ‘I couldn’t stand it anymore, I wanted to kill her’.

“He has never disputed the facts. He has stood by what he said in that 999 call.”

Mr Hill said before the attack the defendant said he felt “furious towards the victim”.

Vonderdell had decided he need to leave the relationship, the barrister said.

“He wanted to get out of the situation he was in, feeling trapped in his circumstances,” Mr Hill said.

The barrister added: “He went out with a knife shoplifting believing that he would be caught, arrested and go to prison.

“He went out wanting to be incarcerated, failed, went home. There was the incident with his partner and he lost control.

“Immediately after the stabbing he describes that he came to his senses.

“All he wanted to do was help her and hence he called 999 and in that 999 call your honour might find his remorse is apparent and certainly his remorse has been expressed since.”

The sentencing hearing took place at Winchester Crown Court

Mr Hill said his client had been under some pressure from the job centre to get employment, which was something the defendant could not cope with.

The relationship had been “deteriorating” for some time and Vonderdell did not know how to leave his girlfriend, the court heard.

Mr Hill said the strongest mitigation he could put forward was his client’s mental health issues. The court was told since being remanded in custody Vonderdell’s stress levels had reduced and he was feeling more positive.

Judge Miller KC said the offence was aggravated by the defendant’s previous convictions, including a rape, two assault occasioning actual bodily harm crimes committed in domestic settings and a robbery.

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She said the stabbing occurring in a domestic context was a “very serious” aggravating factor.

“In her own home where she was entitled to feel safe,” the judge said.

The judge made the defendant subject to an indefinite restraining order.

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