A grandmother stabbed more than 100 times managed to name her killer before she died.
Adam Wright, 39, stormed into 78-year-old June Henty’s home in Bishop’s Waltham on 23 December 2023, launching a frenzied assault after she refused to give him money.
Mrs Henty had been getting ready to go Christmas shopping with her daughter when Wright, her granddaughter’s husband, turned up unannounced and attacked her, slashing at her head, face and neck.
Mrs Henty was discovered by her family, rushed to hospital and spent 90 days in ICU after major surgery.
Despite fighting for months, she died on 14 June 2024.
Sign up for all of the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
Her family said: ‘Our beautiful mum June was brutally taken away from us and as a family we are heartbroken.
‘She was a kind and loving lady who always put her family first. She enjoyed life to the fullest and always loved being around her family and friends.
They added: ‘Mum was a pillar of strength and always stood up for what she believed in, even through the toughest of times. Our lives will now never be the same without her. Even though there has been some justice today, it will never be enough.
‘She was our world and we were hers. We have lost the heart of our family and we feel broken without her.’
A postmortem confirmed she died directly from the knife wounds.
After being named by Mrs Henty, Wright was arrested after a manhunt.
Wright had originally pleaded guilty to attempted murder, but after Mrs Henty’s death prosecutors charged him with murder — a charge he admitted, having already accepted he intended to kill her.
Sentencing him at Winchester Crown Court to life in prison on Thursday the court heard Wright had been drinking and taking drugs the night before the attack.
DI Tim Judd, the Senior Investigating Officer, said: ‘This result comes from the tragic loss of June Henty. She had done nothing to deserve the abhorrent violence she endured that morning, and my thoughts remain with her family.
‘June fought for six months, and thanks to her we were able to identify her attacker as Adam Wright.
‘Although no sentence will ever return June to them, I hope knowing that the man responsible is behind bars will provide them some closure.’
Desmond Duffy, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘This was a truly horrific and senseless act of violence against a much-loved family member.
‘The sheer brutality is beyond comprehension, and Wright’s alcohol and drug consumption offers no justification. I hope Mrs Henty’s loved ones can feel some sense of justice.’