Man Jailed for Life After Brutal Knife Attack That Killed 77-Year-Old Grandmother-in-Law

A man who carried out a “brutal” knife attack on his 77 year old grandmother-in-law has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 24 years.

Adam David Wright, 39, formerly of Grovers Field in Bishops Waltham, was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court today (27 November) after previously pleading guilty to the murder of June Henty.

Police were called to Mrs Henty’s home in Wickham just before 8am on 23 December 2023. Officers found her suffering from more than 100 lacerations to her face and body after Wright attacked her with a knife. She had sustained haemorrhages to major blood vessels in her head and neck, as well as a bleed on the brain.

Mrs Henty survived for six months in intensive care but died from her injuries on 14 June 2024. A post-mortem examination conducted by Dr Basil Purdue concluded that her death was caused by “delayed effects from multiple sharp force injuries.”

Wright was arrested on the day of the attack after Mrs Henty, still conscious at the time, was able to name him as her assailant. He was initially charged with attempted murder and remained in custody. Following her death, prosecutors sought authorisation to change the charge to murder, which was formally added on 6 January. Wright later pleaded guilty on 27 February at Portsmouth Crown Court.

Today he was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 24 years before he can be considered for parole. Because he has already spent two years in custody, he will serve at least 22 more.

In a heartfelt tribute, June’s family said:
“Our beautiful mum June was brutally taken away from us and as a family we are heartbroken. She was a kind and loving lady who always put her family first. She enjoyed life to the fullest and always loved being around her family and friends.
“Mum was a pillar of strength and always stood up for what she believed in, even through the toughest of times. Our lives will now never be the same without her. Even though there has been some justice today, it will never be enough.
“She was our world and we were hers. We have lost the heart of our family and we feel broken without her.”

Senior Investigating Officer DI Tim Judd described the case as a tragedy, saying:
“This result comes from the tragic loss of June Henty. She had done nothing to deserve the abhorrent violence she endured that morning, and my thoughts remain with her family.
“June fought for six months, and thanks to her we were able to identify her attacker as Adam Wright.
“Although no sentence will ever return June to them, I hope knowing that the man responsible is behind bars will provide them some closure.”