A YORK man freed on parole after serving a life sentence for murdering his wife tried to kill his fiance when she dumped him by text.

He went to her home and launched a frenzied knife attack on her while she was asleep, sunbathing in her garden.

A court heard how, Lynne Bell, who had dumped Kenneth Milroy by text message because she was so afraid of him, felt the knife being plunged into her back and the air rushing from her lungs.

One blow penetrated her spinal column but luckily did not sever it.

Milroy had been out on licence after serving nine years of a life sentence for strangling his wife, Kathleen Milroy.

Lynne Bell had dumped Kenneth Milroy by text message because she was too afraid of him to call off her engagement face to face.

But a court heard that the 52-year-old killer travelled from York and launched a frenzied attack on Ms Bell as she lay asleep while sunbathing in the garden of her Gateshead home.

Milroy was out on licence after serving nine years of a life sentence imposed in February 1995 for strangling Kathleen Milroy - the woman he married after his relationship with Lynne Bell broke down.

His relationship with Ms Bell, mother of his teenage son, had rekindled and they got engaged.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard when Ms Bell dumped him by text message he bought a knife from a car boot sale, travelled from his York bail hostel to her home in Gateshead and plunged the blade into her nine times.

He stopped off at Stockton to visit a prostitute and at a Seaham pub before continuing his terrifying mission.

The court heard that Ms Bell, wearing a wrap and a bikini, fell asleep on a sun-lounger in her garden on August 8.

Prosecutor Robert Woodcock told the court: "Her next recollections are horrific in that she remembers feeling an enormous dead weight on her back and a knife being plunged into her back.

"She recalls seeing the terrified eyes of a neighbour who was screaming as this was happening.

"She recalls feeling and hearing the air rushing from her lungs as the knife was plunged into her back."

The court heard how neighbours raced into the garden to help the victim.

Milroy then stopped the attack, threw the knife at one of the screaming women and fled before handing himself in next day.

Ms Bell was taken to hospital where her lungs had to be reinflated. One blow penetrated her spinal column, but luckily had not severed it.

Mr Woodcock said: "But for the swift response of neighbours and the emergency services the consequences of this attack would surely have been fatal."

The court heard Ms Bell felt forced to bring the relationship to an end as she felt she was "walking on egg shells around him", so sent a text rather than break the news in person.

Defence barrister Paul Sloan said nothing could excuse Milroy's actions, but said the defendant never intended to kill Ms Bell.

A charge of attempted murder was dropped after Milroy pleaded guilty to wounding with intent at an earlier hearing.

At yesterday's sentencing, Judge David Hodson called for a parole board investigation into why Milroy was released when still dangerous.

Judge Hodson said it will be at least another nine years before Milroy is considered for parole again.

Updated: 12:29 Saturday, November 20, 2004