WHITELEY — Anwar Ashraf was sentenced to 31 years in prison after being convicted of attempted murder. The 39-year-old former partner of Carla Skeites received the sentence following an attack that occurred on 30 April of the previous year at an office building in Whiteley.
Ashraf forced his way into the office building and attacked Skeites in the lobby with a kitchen knife he had brought from his home. He stabbed Skeites 17 times as she attempted to flee up a staircase. A colleague restrained Ashraf during the incident.
Skeites suffered a collapsed lung and two broken ribs. She remained hospitalized for 10 days following the attack. Ashraf told police officers who arrived at the scene, "What would you have done if your partner cheated on you?"
Ashraf pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and possession of a knife. Judge Paul Dugdale conducted the sentencing at Winchester crown court. Dugdale noted the severity of the victim's injuries, saying, "The injuries that you caused to Carla Skeites will have a devastating effect upon her life. This phrase that is so often said in court but is very relevant in this case, it is a miracle that she survived."
The extended sentence includes 26 years in custody and five years on licence. The court also issued a lifetime restraining order prohibiting Ashraf from contacting Skeites. Skeites stated, "Before April 30 I worked full-time in a job I was in for the last 20 years. On April 30 my life as I had known it suddenly changed. I still struggle to comprehend what happened that day."