A retired chief has been jailed for six years after plotting a savage attack against his ex-wife, which also saw him trying to kill himself.
Ex-Metropolitan Police Superintendent Martyn Horne armed himself with two knives, rope and tape and had aimed to tie up his former lover and assault her after barging into her home on October 16 2023, a court heard.
On the eve of his ambush, the 73-year-old, from Drayton Beauchamp near Aylesbury, Bucks, parked his car at a reservoir and then crept to the house before hiding in a garden shed until the morning, when he attempted his raid.
Horne cut tape and stuck it to his top for easy peeling and cut rope to a certain length all to restrain his wife during his planned onslaught against her, the judge said during the sentencing hearing at Reading Crown Court.
In dramatic doorbell footage shown in court, Horne – dressed in a brown coat and black trousers – is seen ramming the front door with his shoulder before smashing his way through as his horrified ex-lover yelled in the background.
Fortunately, the disgraced former police chief’s ex, Sharon Heyes, was able to flee to a neighbour’s property before Horne could get his hands on her, a judge was told. The pensioner then tried to kill himself by slashing his wrists in the bathroom.
In a chilling 999 made shortly afterwards, a terrified Ms Heyes was heard repeatedly telling the operator: ‘He’s going to kill me.’
The court heard Horne and Ms Heyes’ relationship had been volatile and had broken down, which led to a series of clashes in the weeks leading up to Horne’s attack.
Ex-Metropolitan Police Superintendent Martyn Horne (pictured) has been jailed for plotting to attack his ex-wife during a terrifying raid at her home
Ex-Metropolitan Police Superintendent Martyn Horne (pictured) had aimed to tie up his former lover and assault her after barging into her home on October 16 2023
Fortunately, the disgraced former police chief’s ex, Sharon Heyes, was able to flee to a neighbour’s property before Horne could get his hands on her, a judge was told
He smashed his way through his former lover’s front door, leaving glass fragments on the floor, a court heard
At the time of the raid, the former Met chief was on bail for two other incidents which had happened earlier in 2023.
On July 31 2023, Horne slammed the victim’s phone into her left leg as she was planning to drive him to John Radcliffe Hospital, because she could not work out how to use the car sat-nav, a statement from the victim said.
On September 11 2023, Horne pinned Ms Heyes to the ground and tried to suffocate her with a sock and a pillow.
Prosecutor Miles Trigg said Horne’s intentions on October 16 were evidenced by his violent behaviour at the property and by the notes later found on his phone. These notes were intending something that at least amounted to grievous bodily harm, the prosecutor said.
Mr Trigg described Horne’s extensive planning – noting he had been shopping for a Stanley Knife and duct tape; chose to park at a distance; camped overnight at an outhouse; cut pieces of rope for tying up Ms Heyes and he was carrying two blades.
The court heard a B&Q receipt from the day previous, detailed Horne’s purchases of Gorilla Tape, a folding knife with five blades and five metres of braided rope.
Ms Heyes, who read her victim impact statements from the public gallery of the court, said the incidents had ‘turned her world upside down’. She has since moved from the home where the burglary happened, the court heard.
The victim, herself a former police officer and senior staff nurse, received several commendations during her time with the Met. These included climbing under a train to assist a suicidal woman on the track and talking down an armed offender.
Horne had armed himself with a knife, with a court hearing he intended to attack his wife with it before then turning the blade on himself
Pictures show Horne had prepared lengths of rope which prosecutors say he intended to use to tie up his former wife, Sharon Heyes
Horne had also armed himself with a knife, which the court heard he used to try and kill himself after the attempted attack against his former lover
Ms Heyes said she had faced aggression throughout her career but never imagined she would face such violence in the sanctuary of her own home and at the hands of someone who once loved her.
‘I cannot lose the image of him hiding in the garden. The look of his face imprinted in my mind,’ she told the judge.
Ms Heyes said she had become obsessive about locking doors and was constantly checking wardrobes and rooms in her house.
She has been unable to revalidate her nursing licence due to her ongoing sickness with depression and anxiety as a result of Horne’s actions, the court heard.
Judge Neil Millard told Ms Heyes: ‘If you take anything from today, take from this hearing that it takes strength to go through the proceedings, it takes strength to stand and read those statements in front of others.
‘Remember the strength it took to get you here today and I hope you can get back to some measure of the person who was so full of confidence and joy for life not too many years ago.’
Martyn Hynes, defending Horne, said: ‘This case is incredibly sad and involves two former police officers who had achieved great success in their careers and had a happy and perhaps exciting time ahead of them both.’
Mr Hynes said the relationship became relatively volatile and later broke down.
Windows in the door to Ms Heyes home were smashed in during the incident
Pictured is the receipt showing Horne’s purchases in the run up to the attack
The judge said Horne ‘plainly intended to cause her (the victim) serious harm.’
Judge Millard added: ‘This case is plainly a tragedy for all involved. I cannot avoid noting these offences did not occur suddenly.
‘In the heat of moment, had you got hold of her, it is impossible for me to say how serious the level of harm she would have come to would have been.’
After breaking into the property, Horne went to the bathroom and cut his wrists, the judge heard.
He said he had no doubts Horne’s intention was to end his own life but he also intended to cause Ms Heyes really serious harm.
For one count of assault by beating, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional suffocation and burglary with the intent to commit grievous bodily harm, Horne was jailed for six years.
He was convicted of the burglary matter at trial. He had also indicated guilty pleas to the other matters.
A restraining order – to be made until further order – was imposed on Horne regarding Ms Heyes.
