He drove his car at her and hit her repeatedly with a baseball bat before brave passersby – who will be commended by the chief constable – stopped him and saved her life
Laurence Worville was found guilty of attempted murder(Image: Humberside Police)
A controlling husband who set out to deliberately kill his estranged wife by arming himself with a baseball bat and driving straight at her in his car as she walked in the street has been jailed for 24 years. Had it not been for passersby who restrained him he would have succeeded in killing her.
Laurence Worville, 51, formerly of Spring Bank West had denied attempted murder of his then wife. But he was convicted by a jury at Hull Crown Court. At his trial, he said he was angry that she had allowed his koi carp to die, while he was in prison.
He had been released from prison just days earlier and tracked her down by sneaking into his former employment at Royal Mail to find the redirection list for postage to where she had moved after fleeing the matrimonial home. Worville had already served time for common assault on his then wife.
Judge John Thackray KC said the CCTV footage of the crash was “truly horrifying.” It captured Worville accelerating and ploughing into her and pinning her against railings.
He drove a silver Volkswagen Polo on Chanterlands Avenue near to the junction with Lyton Avenue in Hull at 7.30am on May 7 last year. He then used his newly-purchased bat from Sports Direct to batter her repeatedly over the head.
Witnesses heard him shout that he hoped it hurt her. He was restrained by men who were passing by. They were named in court, along with a woman who tended to the severely injured woman.
Judge John Thackray KC told Worville: ” You were plotting to kill your wife over a number of days prior to the attack. You did not see her by chance on the morning of the attack as you claimed. You were actively looking for her in order to kill her and that was the purpose of carrying the baseball bat.
“But for the intervention of those brave men who intervened, you would have continued the attack and almost certainly have killed her.” He added: ” The cries and screaming of your wife as she was pinned to the railings by the car and then attacked with the bat were truly horrific.
“You showed no remorse at the scene, on the contrary, you repeatedly shouted that you hoped the injuries were hurting her. During the trial you did not show a jot of genuine remorse.
“You are a master at minimisation as confirmed by the pre sentence report. You had the astonishing temerity to try and justify your attack by complaining that your wife had not looked after your koi carp whilst you were in prison for attacking her.”
Nick Adlington, prosecuting, said Worville had previously worked for the Royal Mail and, on May 6 last year, he broke into the company’s depot in St Peter’s Street, Hull, and stole mail redirection stickers, revealing where his wife was now living. The next day, he drove there, armed with the baseball bat in his car.
When he saw her, he deliberately drove his car onto the pavement and into her as she walked along. He knocked her to the ground and pinned her between the car and some iron railings.
“Then he got out of the car and attacked her on the floor with the baseball bat,” said Mr Adlington. “He carried on attacking her with the baseball bat until he was physically restrained by passing members of the public.”
It was a “terrifying attack” on the woman. She suffered a badly broken leg, a deep cut to the back of her head and a broken finger. “She was in hospital for 10 days,” said Mr Adlington.
“Had it not been for the brave intervention of members of the public, those injuries would have been fatal. The defendant had the settled intention to find and then to kill her and, if he had not been stopped by the members of the public who intervened, he would have done so.”
He was in breach of a restraining order, made at Hull Magistrates’ Court on April 17 last year, banning him from contacting his estranged wife. He had earlier admitted offences of assaulting the woman, causing actual bodily harm, and two assaults, in December 2024 and he had been given a community order, with the restraining order.
Mitigating, Andrea Parnham submitted a letter expressing her client’s remorse to the judge. She said her client has mental health difficulties. She added her client had dropped the bat when he was confronted and made no efforts to stop people attending to his then wife.
Miss Parnham said her client had been of good character prior to 2024. Reading from the victim impact statement, Mr Adlington said the woman had been in fear that her former husband would find out where she was living.
She said: “My anxiety levels go through the roof when I go past that road where it happened. I am in constant fear when I think “What if?” She has a titanium rod in her leg and walks with a limp and has permanent scars.
“I want to be able to move on with my life,” she said. Judge Thackray KC sentenced Worville to 24 years in prison with a further extension of four years on licence because he posed a serious risk to the public.
The judge commended the passersby. He said: “The Prosecution Witnesses who intervened or rendered assistance at the scene will be given commendations from the Chief Constable.” He said David Cattle stopped the defendant from further assaulting his victim with baseball bat, disarmed the defendant and restrained him in a bear hug until arrival of police.
Jay Wainwright helped David Cattle restrain the defendant until the arrival of police and moved the car off victim. He also praised David Makey who helped Jay Wainwright move the car off the woman.
Kirsty Meyerhoff was also commended for tending to the victim until arrival of paramedics. Cafe owner John Cheeseman also tended to her until arrival of paramedics.
‘I have no doubt that they saved my life’
After the hearing, the woman who did not wish to be named, said: “I never thought I would ever be put in this position, or that something like this would ever happen to me.
“Without the heroic actions of those who came to my aid that day, it would have been a very different outcome; I have no doubt that they saved my life.
“I will be forever grateful for all the support Humberside Police has given me throughout the entirety of the investigation, alongside Domestic Abuse Partnership (DAP) as well, for standing by my side every step of the way. My NHS family; it’s been a long road but thank you for getting me back on my feet, and to my friends and family – you have been, and always will be, my rocks.
“My final plea goes to anyone who recognises themselves in this situation or has been affected after hearing what happened to me, please reach out and talk to someone. Whether that’s a trusted friend, or family member, the police, charity or support agency, please tell someone. I wish I had done it sooner, but now I am overwhelmed with the result and that Worville is finally behind bars where he belongs.”
‘Cruel and calculating’
Detective Inspector Helen Collier from Humberside Police Domestic Abuse and Safeguarding Investigation Team, said: “Worvill is a cruel and calculating man who set out that day armed with two weapons – his car and a baseball bat – to cause fear, alarm, and attempt to kill an innocent woman he knew.
“Not only this, but in his obsession with her, he sought her out the day before by committing a burglary at a business premises to find out where she had moved to. In the sinister footage that was released after he was found guilty; you can also see him purchase a baseball bat just before the incident.
“He then ploughed into her with his car, speeding up as he got closer to her as she was walking down the street before repeatedly assaulting her causing serious injuries to her body. All of which she is still bravely recovering from, both mentally and physically.
“I would like to thank the members of the public who came to the woman’s aid that day and heroically intervened, restraining Worville until police arrived at the scene to arrest him, despite being threatened by Worville wielding a bat themselves.
“Worville then refused to admit that he went out that day with the intent to kill her, instead claiming grievous bodily harm. This charge was not accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and the indictment of attempted murder was brought forward, meaning Worville forced the woman to endure the terrifying details all over again during the trial. This is not only cruel, but cowardly.
“Worvill is a dangerous, conniving individual who subjected a woman to an unimaginable attack which left her spending ten days in hospital.
“I am pleased Worville will be behind bars for a very long time, but by no means does the result today take away the trauma and pain the woman will continue to face on a daily basis as she tries to navigate through life on what will be a long journey of physical and emotional recovery.
“Violent crime will never be tolerated in our communities, and we will do everything we can to seek justice for victims to ensure our residents feel safe and criminals are punished.”
If you have any information or concerns about crime in your area, please report it via our non-emergency 101 line or by speaking to local officers whilst they’re out and about.”
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