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64-Year-Old Woman Accused of Stabbing Estranged Husband After Learning He Euthanized Their Two
Claire Bridger, a 64-year-old resident of Norfolk, stands accused of stabbing her estranged husband and inflicting life-threatening wounds after discovering he had arranged for their two rescue dogs to be put down.The confrontation occurred when Bridger drove to the location where her husband, Keith Bridger, was temporarily residing to request that he cover the cost of the next mediation appointment for the animals.Instead of reaching an agreement, the discussion turned catastrophic when she learned both dogs had been euthanized without her being told.Prosecutors allege that what followed was an explosive outburst, culminating in Keith Bridger being stabbed twice while begging for assistance as neighbors stepped in and emergency services were summoned.According to prosecutor Peter Gair, Bridger “became hysterical” upon hearing the news about the dogs.“She was screaming ‘You’ve killed my dogs,’” Gair told Norwich Crown Court.Jurors heard that Bridger stepped out of her vehicle gripping a knife in her right hand before charging at her husband.She stabbed him once in the chest and once in the abdomen, causing injuries later classified as life-threatening.
While Keith Bridger lay bleeding on the ground and calling for help, the defendant is alleged to have bitten him on the arm. Alerted by the disturbance, neighbors hurried over and managed to subdue Bridger, prying the knife from her grasp.A 999 emergency call was placed amid the turmoil, and the recording was presented to the jury. In it, the caller can be heard frantically informing the operator, “There’s a woman with a knife.”Witnesses also described hearing Bridger shouting at her husband, labeling him a “horrible man,” while Keith Bridger could be heard saying, “She stabbed me.”Upon police arrival, Bridger reportedly repeated her accusation to officers, stating, “He killed my dogs,” before adding, “I just saw red.”The couple had shared the dogs for at least five years, with both animals described as presenting “behavioral issues.”The court was informed that the pair had been together for nearly four decades before separating the previous year.
The alleged stabbing took place on the evening of July 17 last year.Prosecutor Gair explained that the couple first adopted a rescue dog at their marital home in Taverham, Norfolk, in March 2020, just before the initial COVID-19 lockdown began. A second dog joined them a year later.Jurors learned the animals were challenging to handle, characterized as “quite noisy,” prone to biting, and exhibiting persistent “behavioral issues.”After the relationship ended, the dogs remained under Keith Bridger’s care. However, he was not allowed to keep them long-term in his single-bedroom accommodation in Bramerton.Efforts to find new homes for the dogs had proven unsuccessful.“He felt there was only one option and that was to have them put down,” Gair stated, emphasizing that Claire Bridger had not been informed of the decision.When she arrived at her husband’s address to discuss the mediation payment, she asked, “Where are my dogs?” It was then, according to the prosecution, that she learned of the euthanasia.
Keith Bridger’s injuries were so severe that immediate on-site medical intervention was required. A neighbor who is a doctor provided first aid before he was transported to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for additional treatment.The jury observed Claire Bridger appearing visibly emotional in the courtroom as the case was presented. She denies attempted murder but has pleaded guilty to wounding with intent.As proceedings continue, the jury must determine whether the stabbing constituted a deliberate crime or an act driven by uncontrollable fury.Under English law, if jurors are not satisfied that she intended to kill her husband but conclude she meant to cause him serious harm, the appropriate finding would be wounding with intent, which carries a lesser penalty.
