Man Jailed for 24 Years After Attempted Murder of Ex-Partner Sparked Four-Day Manhunt

A 58-year-old man who repeatedly stabbed his former partner in a planned attack in Carmarthen has been jailed for 24 years after a four-day manhunt following the attempted murder.

James McKenna, from Carmarthen, attacked Joanne Sidaway, 49, in Carmarthen Park on 29 January, stabbing her multiple times in the chest and upper body before fleeing the scene.

McKenna was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty of attempted murder in July. He had previously pleaded guilty to wounding with intent.

The court heard that McKenna had hidden in bushes in the park, waiting for Sidaway to arrive with her dog. He was angry following the breakdown of their relationship several months earlier and had taken a knife from his kitchen with the intention of using it to hurt her.

During the attack, Sidaway screamed for help, while a neighbour heard the commotion and shouted. Despite suffering serious injuries, she managed to call an ambulance and tell emergency services that her former partner had stabbed her and had been stalking her.

Four-day manhunt ended in hospital arrest

Following the attack, McKenna fled the area and discarded his rucksack, which contained the knife, at an allotment near the park.

He then travelled towards Bronwydd, a village north of Carmarthen, where he spent three nights sheltering in woodland without food or water.

McKenna was eventually arrested at a hospital in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, where he had gone seeking medical treatment for suspected frostbite after sleeping outdoors.

The incident prompted a significant emergency response in Carmarthen, while police searched for McKenna following the attack.

Judge describes attack as calculated

Sentencing McKenna, Judge Paul Thomas KC described the attack as “wholly calculated”, telling him that he had deliberately targeted Sidaway after she decided to end their relationship.

The court heard that McKenna stabbed her at least 11 times, including three wounds to the chest area. The judge said Sidaway had survived partly because she was wearing several layers of clothing beneath a thick winter coat.

He told McKenna that he had left his former partner in the bushes and only handed himself in after developing frostbite while sleeping rough.

During his trial, McKenna admitted taking his sharpest kitchen knife with him that morning and acknowledged that he intended to cause Sidaway serious harm. However, he maintained that he had not intended to kill her.

He described the attack as occurring in a rage of anger and told the jury that he had been shocked by his own actions.

Previous conviction and concerns over post-separation abuse

The court also heard that McKenna had a previous conviction for assault against an ex-partner in August 2016, involving pushing her neck and pulling her hair.

Prosecutors argued that the conviction demonstrated his previous unwillingness to accept the end of a relationship.

His defence barrister, Caroline Rees KC, told the court that McKenna had expressed remorse and regret for what had happened.

Following sentencing, the Crown Prosecution Service described his actions as cold and calculated, highlighting that he had deliberately taken a knife to a public place to attack his former partner.

Sara Kirkpatrick, chief executive of Welsh Women's Aid, described the incident as a carefully planned attack and highlighted the wider issue of post-separation abuse, stalking and harassment following the breakdown of relationships.

She said the case demonstrated the importance of challenging attitudes that allow individuals to believe that pursuing vengeance against a former partner is acceptable.

Prison sentence

McKenna will serve two-thirds of his 24-year sentence in prison before being released on licence, subject to the applicable conditions.

The case highlights the devastating consequences of violence against former partners and the serious criminal penalties that can follow a planned attempted murder.

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