Every third day, in our #EveryThreeDays campaign, I write about a woman killed by a man. Previously in this campaign, which started on the 2nd of May, we have remembered 46 women, the last being seven stone and disabled Julie Collier from Chippenham in Wiltshire.
Today we remember Petra Atkinson, 42, who died in hospital after being stabbed in the neck at their home in Heather Avenue, Withernsea, a small seaside resort in the east riding of Yorkshire.
Details are scarce as to why Petra was murdered, but the perpetrator was 51 years old Tony Jobbling, to whom Petra was engaged to be married. It is known that back in September 2015, Jobbling and Petra had an argument that left Petra with a slit throat and multiple stab wounds. It is also known that Jobbling stabbed himself in an effort to claim self-defence and made no effort to save Petra despite being told by the phone operator to try and quell the bleeding over thirty times.
At Sheffield Crown Court, Jobbling’s claim of self-defence was rejected by the six men, six women jury in under three hours. He was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of twenty years, but this was reduced on appeal to 18 years.
After the case concluded in court, Det Ch Insp Wendy North said her thoughts were with Ms Atkinson’s family, especially her three sons saying:-
“Petra Atkinson suffered horrific injuries at the hands of her fiancée Tony Jobling; he then, with calculated foresight, injured himself using the same weapon he had attacked Petra with in order to fabricate a false defence.
He did all of this before he called for an ambulance. Despite the valiant efforts of the call taker trying to instruct Jobling in first aid, he did absolutely nothing to assist Petra, who lay bleeding to death.”
Petra Atkinson
#EveryThreeDays
