A judge has jailed a highly dangerous husband for 13 years for a savage drunken attack on his wife and warned all women that next time he could kill.

Grant Stephenson drove a knife into his wife Christine’s stomach, causing a wound a foot deep and narrowly missing her heart, then watched her bleed on her bed for four hours, Bradford Crown Court heard.

He attacked her only days after his release from a three-and-a-half year jail sentence for viciously assaulting her. Police found her unconscious on the floor of her home with head injuries, including two broken cheekbones.

Stephenson, an electrician, had two earlier convictions for battering his wife, by pushing her hard against a car door and then biting her and trying to strangle her.

Yesterday, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC passed an 18-year extended prison sentence on Stephenson, 49, made up of a 13 year jail term, plus five years on extended licence.

The judge told him he abused his power and control to abuse his vulnerable wife of seven years. She often protected him by telling police her injuries were caused when she fell over.

“When you are sober you are a skilled and helpful man but a dark and evil monster is unchained when you are in drink. You are a clear and present danger to any woman with whom you are in a relationship,” Judge Durham Hall said.

“I want people in the county to know you for what you are because you have the capacity to kill.”

Burly Stephenson, of Peel Place, Burley -in-Wharfedale, who appeared in the dock wearing a dark jumper and bright green trousers, pleaded guilty to wounding his wife with intent to cause her grievous bodily harm on April 8.

He had already admitted causing her actual bodily harm earlier that day by hitting her in the face with a vodka bottle. He had been in custody since his arrest.

Prosecutor Louise Reevell said Stephenson moved into his wife’s home in Railway Road, Ilkley , after he was freed from jail. She did not want him there but he made himself a bedsit in the living room.

Mrs Stephenson, 51, who has now changed her name, put up with it to stop him “turning nasty”.

When he hit her with the bottle, causing cuts and bruising and swelling round her eyes, she went up to bed. Stephenson came upstairs and asked for money at about 2pm. When she refused, he looked her in the eye and thrust the knife into her upper abdomen.

He refused to call an ambulance or let her leave the house to summon help. At one point he threatened to “finish her off”.

After four hours of lying on her bed bleeding, Mrs Stephenson gave him her pin number so he could go and buy more vodka. She then fled the house.

The wound damaged her kidney and pancreas and she was in Airedale Hospital , Steeton , for a week.

The court heard she did not want to see Stephenson ever again.

In mitigation, Stephenson’s solicitor advocate, Simon Hustler, said: “He is deeply sorry and horrified.”

He continued: “Alcohol is Mr Stephenson’s demon and it has played a part in every situation that has brought him before the court.”

After the case, Detective Inspector Ryan Bragg, of Airedale and North Bradford CID, said: “The severity of this attack has been reflected in the sentence handed down by the courts today.

“Stephenson inflicted some extremely serious injuries upon his victim which could potentially have ended her life.

“Those who commit domestic violence, however, will quickly realise that it will not be tolerated in any form and the consequences of such actions will result in a hefty custodial sentence.

“I would urge any victim of intimidation or abuse to report it to police.”