CHRISTOPHER HAWKINS SENTENCED FOR TRIPLE STABBING IN SLAITHWAITE NEAR HUDDERSFIELD

In a tragic and harrowing incident that unfolded in Slaithwaite, near Huddersfield, a father named Christopher Hawkins was convicted of a brutal attack that left his young son, Ryan, dead and his daughter, Donna, severely injured. The events took place in September 2008, marking a devastating chapter for the Hawkins family and the local community.

Christopher Hawkins, aged 47, carried out the violent assault within his own home, a modest sheet metalworker's residence in Slaithwaite. The attack was reportedly motivated by Hawkins' desire for revenge against his wife, Valerie Gee, who had recently left him after revealing her affair with a taxi driver named Lee Tinker, an employee at a minicab firm owned by her uncle. The separation occurred just a year after their 17th wedding anniversary, which Hawkins marked the day before the tragedy.

According to court proceedings, Hawkins was consumed with rage upon discovering his wife’s infidelity. He had even scribbled a note indicating his intent to kill Ryan and himself on Ryan’s fourth birthday in September. On the day of the attack, Hawkins first targeted Donna, who was 14 at the time, while her 16-year-old sister, Natalie, was away from the house. Hawkins then threatened Donna, telling her he was going to kill her brother Ryan, who was only four years old.

During the assault, Hawkins used a carving knife to stab Ryan multiple times—nine in total—with two of those strikes piercing his heart. The attack was so severe that without the prompt intervention of medical professionals at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary, Hawkins might have faced charges of double murder. The court heard that Ryan succumbed to his injuries, and Donna was left with multiple stab wounds but managed to survive. She was able to alert neighbors, who responded swiftly, and she was later able to give evidence in court, demonstrating remarkable composure amidst the trauma.

Following the attack, Hawkins was seen at his local pub in Slaithwaite, where he told staff and patrons about his actions, claiming remorse and grief. However, the court was convinced that his displays of sorrow were insincere. Mr. Justice Wilkie, presiding over the case at Leeds Crown Court, sentenced Hawkins to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years. The judge criticized Hawkins for lacking moral courage, accusing him of using his son as a pawn for revenge against his wife. He dismissed Hawkins’ claims of mental illness and voices in his head, stating that these were merely attempts to evade responsibility.

During the sentencing, the judge remarked that Hawkins’ actions were cold-hearted and premeditated, and he expressed doubt about the genuineness of Hawkins’ professed love and mourning for Ryan. The court also acknowledged the bravery of Donna, who provided evidence during the trial, contrasting her calmness with Hawkins’ evasions and lies. As Hawkins was led away from the courtroom, he turned to face Donna and Natalie in the gallery and declared, “I love you, Donna, I love you, Natalie.”

In a victim impact statement, Donna’s mother conveyed the profound psychological scars that the attack had inflicted on her daughter, emphasizing that Donna would never fully recover from the trauma. The case has left a lasting mark on the community of Slaithwaite, near Huddersfield, highlighting the devastating consequences of betrayal and unchecked rage.