POLICE OFFICER JAILED FOR KILLING WIFE RELEASED EARLY FROM PRISON
A former police officer who carried out a fatal stabbing attack on his wife has been released from prison three years earlier than the expected end of his sentence.Graham Jones, also known as Ivor, was convicted of manslaughter after admitting to killing Maria, 36, by stabbing her 96 times at their shared home in Ingleby Barwick, Teesside, in 2004.
The court heard he was jailed for eight years in 2005 on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Jones explained that he 'snapped' in December 2004 after his wife taunted him about an affair.
The attack involved taking a knife and stabbing Maria repeatedly in the head, chest, and torso as she slept in the spare bedroom.
Maria’s parents, Ron and June Phillips, expressed their outrage, calling the sentencing 'a joke' and 'disgusting,' respectively, with her father stating, 'The penal system that allows somebody to stab someone 96 times and walk away free after five years is a joke.' Police confirmed that Jones was released unexpectedly on a Tuesday, and he will be moved from the Teesside area and continue to be monitored by authorities.
The Criminal Justice Act 1991 allows for automatic release after two-thirds of the sentence has been served for those with sentences of four years or more.
Jones had previously been identified as a Cleveland Police officer with 20 years of service, but he said he 'snapped' when his wife accused him of having an affair.
The court noted he repeatedly stabbed her in a sleep and that she had kept a knife under her pillow, fearing threats from him.
This case has drawn widespread criticism over the severity of his sentence and the early release.
