A MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer stabbed his estranged wife six times in the back after confronting her outside the school she worked at because he “wanted to kill himself in front of her”.

William Berry then stabbed himself twice in the stomach after travelling three miles to St James’ High School in Farnworth on his mobility scooter, a court was told.

He was arrested in a nearby garden and only complied with police, who he told of his suicide intentions, after they threatened him with a taser.

Debra Berry and the defendant were in the process of getting divorced and he received a letter from her solicitors on the morning of October 15, 2013.

Berry wrongly thought his wife was trying to force the sale of his house — she was actually protecting herself financially against a future sale — and decided he “wanted to end it all”.

He went to the school, where Mrs Berry, aged 53 worked as a kitchen assistant, to speak with her when she left work at 2.30pm.

Bolton Crown Court, sitting at Manchester Magistrates’ Court because of Berry’s disability, was told how he attacked her at a bus stop after she turned her back on him.

She felt two blows, the first of which knocked her to her knees and the second to the ground, and saw Berry holding a kitchen knife and “gritting” his teeth when she looked at him.

Judge Timothy Clayson said: “It is frankly astonishing that he succeeded in inflicting six wounds to Mrs Berry given he was not able to walk.”

Mrs Berry has been left scared to go out for fear of seeing Berry and “unable to use knives” after developing post-traumatic stress disorder.

Berry, of Masefield Road, Little Lever, although a recent resident of a care home, was jailed for two years and eight months after pleading guilty to committing GBH with intent, having also been charged with attempted murder.

Tim Hopley, defending, argued that Berry’s disabilities could see Judge Clayson pass an “exceptional” sentence and suspended a jail term.

Mr Hopley said: “There are very real concerns about the impact prison would have on both him and his family.

“There are ongoing concerns about suicide, which is a risk which will only be enhanced with custody.”

He added that Berry has no hobbies outside of the care home he now lives in, and that custody might deny him regular contact with his two sons and grandchildren.

Judge Clayson did reduce the starting point for sentence from five years to four, and gave Berry full credit for pleading guilty.

He will serve half of the sentence on licence.

Nicola Carroll, prosecuting, said: “Mr Berry said he left his house with two kitchen knives and denied any intention to harm Mars Berry, although he admitted in interview to police that he had done it.

“He couldn’t account for why he did. He wanted to kill himself in front of his wife.”

Berry told he had left his door unlocked and a note for family as he had no intention of going back.

That note was not recovered but one was, which said that he loved his wife The court heard that Mrs Berry ran “crying and screaming” to a nearby garden of a colleague, Karen Haslam, after the attack.

She was eventually airlifted to hospital and the 20cm serrated kitchen knife used was found by police wedged in a shed.

The court was told that Mrs Berry suffered nerve damage, which has left her unable to stretch, bend or pick things up, and psychological effects.

Miss Carroll read a victim impact statement from Mrs Berry, which was made on September 4 this year.

It said: “I still get upset and start crying and think what have I done to deserve this “I don’t see my son and daughter as much now as I’m always scared I will see him.

“I’m scared to be on my own and when I go to bed at night I’m like a cocoon.

“I can no longer use knives and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder “October 15 changed her life and her family’s life forever. It is never out of her mind.“