A Felixstowe man who stabbed his wife and his sister-in-law after getting drunk in the town on New Year's Eve, was today jailed for eight years.

A jury at Ipswich Crown Court took less than three hours yesterday (Thursday, November 19) to convict Michael Dawson of wounding his wife Jenny Dawson and her sister Laura Thrower with intent to cause them grievous bodily harm.

Former soldier Dawson, who had denied the charges but admitted a less serious charge of wounding them, was told he will have to serve at least two-thirds of the prison sentence.

Dawson was also given a restraining order preventing him contacting either victim on his release from prison.

Judge David Goodin read impact statements from the two victims and reflected on 35-year-old Dawson's background, in particular his time experiences with the army in Iraq.

Lori Tucker, mitigating, told the court Dawson had since been diagnosed with PTSD as a result of his experience in the army and had become a Samaritans 'listener', providing emotional support to other inmates in jail, where he had been remanded since January.

She said: "This was, let's be blunt, five minutes of sheer madness, which has ruined his life and the lives of his family.

"He has always accepted responsibility for the act; the issue was his intent and lack of memory of events."

Judge Goodin accepted Dawson's time in Iraq had left a scar on his mental health.

Mrs Dawson's own statement of January 1 had suggested his actions were "beyond out-of-character", adding: "Something caused you to snap.

"Your remorse, I have no doubt, is real. You are not a monster – and you will feel every day of the sentence I must pass," the judge added.

Drunken night out ended in wounding - full story here...