Man jailed for 26 years for 'ferocious' stabbing

A man who stabbed his ex-partner 17 times in a "ferocious" knife attack at her workplace has been jailed for 26 years.

Anwar Ashraf, 39, was found guilty of attempted murder after a trial at Winchester Crown Court following the attack on Carla Skeites at 3600 Parkway in Whiteley, Hampshire, on 30 April 2025.

Prosecutor Giles Bedloe said Ashraf had become "obsessed" with Skeites and accused her of "cheating" on him despite the relationship having ended several months previously and the victim not being in a new relationship.

Judge Paul Dugdale imposed an extended sentence on Ashra with a five-year period on licence and issued a restraining order for life.

Ashraf previously pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife but he had denied that he wanted to kill her.

The court heard the defendant, previously of Southsea, had asked police after the attack how they would react if their partner had cheated on them.

Judge Dugdale told him his attack was "the level of ferocity that causes this court real concern".

"It's a miracle that she survived, it's not clear if she will ever be near to how she was before and it's not clear if the pain she suffers every day will go away," he added.

The court heard Ashraf had a habit of drinking a bottle of whisky or vodka each day and had gone to a retreat in India and to Dubai in bids to solve his drinking problem.

In a victim impact statement read to the court, Skeites said she still suffered flashbacks and nightmares and was undergoing counselling for anxiety.

She described being in hospital for 10 days following the attack and not knowing if she would survive the emergency surgery.

"I know I should hate Ash for what he has done, maybe in time I will but right now I feel more sadness than hate," she added.

It was heard during the trial how Ashraf had become "obsessed".

He "bombarded" Skeites with 49 phone calls before turning up at the work premises, and "circling in the shadows" as he waited to see her.

The court was told after a "brief conversation, she told him to leave her alone and go away" before "randomly he hugged her" and he followed her back into the lobby as she tried to move away from him.

Simon Clark, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said Ashraf "sought to downplay his actions by saying he only wanted to scare the victim, but the nature and scale of this attack showed a clear intent to cause fatal harm".