Torquay man goes berserk swinging bread knife and beating former partner

A Torquay man went berserk by attacking his ex partner in the street and 'trying to slice' her new boyfriend with a bread knife. Matthew Williams admitted multiple offences, including dangerous driving and assault, when he appeared at Exeter Crown Court.

He stormed into Natasha Garfield-Smith's home in Paignton in September 2023 before swinging the knife at her partner and reversing his car into a garden fence. Nearly a year later he saw the pair on the street in Torquay, stopped his van and took part in a brutal attack, stamping on his former partner's leg as she lay battered on the ground.

Williams, of Truro Avenue in Watcombe, has been sentenced to two years and 10 months. Prosecutor Garth Richardson said Williams went to his former partner's address, walked inside without an invite and told her new partner, Tope Moremi-Fitch, "You've no right to be here".

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He then got behind the wheel of his Ford Mondeo, even though he was disqualified from driving, and drove it towards his ex, before slamming on the brakes. He swung a 10-inch bread knife at Mr Moremi-Fitch, who managed to get out of the way, before getting back into his car and reversing towards him.

Williams drove over the pavement, knocking down a fence post. A teenager and toddlers were walking close by, Mr Richardson said.

In June of this year, Williams drove past the two victims in Hele Road, Torquay, and started shouting from his van. They tried to get away by running up a lane near Barton surgery but were stopped when Mr Williams' new partner got out of the van and launched an attack on his ex, said the prosecutor.

Williams joined in the vicious assault, stamping on the woman's leg. The court was told he knew she had undergone a hip replacement. Williams got back into his van and drove it at Mr Moremi-Fitch who had to jump over a fence to avoid being hit.

"He believed the defendant was accelerating and intentionally driving at him," said Mr Richardson. Ms Garfield-Smith was left with extensive bruising over her body and both now fear visiting Torquay.

Williams, aged 29, pleaded guilty to threats with a blade, ABH, driving whilst disqualified and two offences of dangerous driving.

Francesca Whebell, defending, said Williams was going through a difficult period at the time and his life spiralling due to an extensive drug habit. He has autism and is now clean of drugs.

Williams was disqualified from driving for two years and given a five-year restraining order not to contact the victim. He will serve 40 per cent of his sentence in prison and the rest on licence.