A man in the UK is facing over a decade behind bars after reportedly stabbing a woman multiple times when she rejected him. He told police he was “A monster.”
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According to a press release by the Avon and Somerset Police, Matthew Jones, 29, from Southdown, Bath, attacked Emma Kirk, 25, in February 2024. A judge at Bristol Crown Court sentenced him on May 9, 2025.
According to the BBC, the pair met at university. They became good friends and were “romantically involved.” Jones reportedly attacked Kirk after she told him they wouldn’t be any more than just friends. He insisted on meeting her down a lane off Dransfield Way on February 26 so she could return gifts he had bought her. When the pair met, the press release explains, ‘Emma suffered multiple stab wounds and cuts to her neck, face, head, abdomen and hands.’
Surgeons told Kirk’s family that her surviving her injuries was “a miracle” as the blade was millimeters from a key artery.
Members Of The Public Stepped In To Help The Woman
The press release explains that members of the public restrained Jones at around 4:30 PM after Emma was stabbed. Authorities say that the quick action by members of the public intervening and providing first aid saved Kirk’s life. Emma required emergency surgery, and her injuries were so extensive that she couldn’t even tell officers about the attack until 10 days later. Avon and Somerset Police also shared a brief clip from an officer’s bodycam. Jones tells the officer, “You don’t have to show me any respect. I’m a monster.” When the officer replies, “Sorry?” he repeats, “Don’t show me respect. I’m a monster.”
A statement from Emma was reportedly read out in court, where she revealed she thought she was going to die. She suffered more than 15 knife wounds to her head, neck, and body. Her injuries have caused permanent, irreparable nerve damage to her neck and hands. Medical professionals expect she will lose feeling in one of her fingers and thumb.
Jones reportedly denied deliberately stabbing Kirk in his initial interview, saying he acted in self-defense. He later entered a guilty plea to an offense of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. The plea means he admitted to stabbing her, and it was not in self-defense, although he denied any intention of killing. The release concludes that a jury found Jones not guilty of attempted murder and possessing a knife. However, he faces 12 years in prison and 4 years on an extended license for the admitted offense of grievous bodily harm with intent.