A York man has been jailed for more than 22 years for an “horrific and senseless” attack on his former partner.
Jake Joe Bamber, 35, stabbed the woman 22 times with knives in front of her young children in their York home.
Despite being desperately badly injured, she managed to tell her children how to get help. They raised the alarm by calling 999 and shouting through the window.
In February, Bamber admitted attempted murder, possession of a knife in a public place, controlling and coercive behaviour, and stalking the victim.
He was back at Leeds Crown Court today (Friday) for sentencing.
Emergency services were alerted to the attack on Saturday, 10 January at 5.49pm when a 999 call came through saying a woman had been stabbed multiple times at her home on Lindley Road.
Police arrived nine minutes later to find a woman conscious but with significant blood loss due to her injuries.
She was able to identify her attacker as Jake Bamber, her former partner, who had already run from the scene.
He had hidden in a cupboard before leaping out and attacking her in front of her two young children.
Police pieced together what had happened. Bamber went to the victim’s address armed with knives, gained unlawful entry, hid, then attacked her so viciously that he broke the knives in the attack.
Horrifyingly, this resulted in him going to the kitchen and re-arming himself to continue the attack.
The victim was taken to hospital by ambulance in a life-threatening condition whilst an urgent search for Bamber commenced.
At 9.35pm, officers were told a man had been located collapsed on Whitley Close in York, covered in blood and unresponsive.
Paramedics identified stab wounds, and he was taken to hospital in a critical condition. This was Bamber, and it is suspected that these injuries were self-inflicted.
When Bamber was deemed medically fit two days later, he was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and being in possession of a knife.
The next day, he was charged with these offences, along with controlling and coercive behaviour between July 2023 and November 2025, and stalking between late November 2025 and early January 2026.
He was jailed today for 22 years and four months, and issued with an extended licence period of five years.
Detective Chief Inspector Carol Kirk, the senior investigating officer, said: “This was a truly horrific and senseless act of violence on a young woman in her own home.
“The extreme level of brutality Bamber inflicted on the victim was beyond belief, and it was all because she had the courage to end the cycle of domestic abuse that he had subjected her to over an extended period of time.
“Terrifyingly, Bamber was hiding in wait for the victim to return home before leaping out at her with a knife. This was the place where she should have felt safe and secure, but his terrible actions shattered that feeling forever.
“Bamber then fled the scene leaving his victim fighting for her life.”
DCI Kirk added: “I commend the strength and bravery of the victim who, in my eyes, is a true survivor.
“Even though she was desperately injured, her first thought was to protect her young children and she told them what to do to call for help.
“I am in awe of the courage of her children who despite being only young and terrified, stayed calm and listened to their mum so they could raise the alarm by calling for help both on the phone and out of the window.
“I also pay tribute to her neighbour who did not hesitate when the children yelled for help. The neighbour climbed through the window to get the children to safety, and started lifesaving first aid whilst not knowing if Bamber was still in the house.
“In my mind, these women and children are true heroes.”
