Knife Horror in Thornton Heath: Man Stabs Wife 17 Times After Phone Call Sparks Fury
Brutal Midnight Attack Over Family Call
Zef Gjoni, 28, launched a terrifying knife attack on his wife in their Thornton Heath home just after 4 a.m. on April 1, 2020. Furious that she took her phone to the bathroom to contact a family member in Romania, Gjoni snapped. He had just stopped her from calling her mother before grabbing two kitchen knives to attack her.
Victim Left with 17 Stab Wounds and Collapsed Lung
The woman suffered at least 17 stab wounds and a collapsed lung. During the savage assault, Gjoni covered her head with a duvet and snarled, “Have you not died yet?” The victim begged him to stop and call an ambulance.
911 Call Reveals Twisted Tale
Only after a furious struggle did Gjoni finally ring 911, falsely claiming his wife stabbed herself multiple times. When emergency services arrived, a Romanian interpreter helped the victim reveal the shocking truth: Gjoni was the attacker. Police arrested him at the scene.
Jail Sentence for Attempted Murder
Croydon Crown Court today sentenced Gjoni to 19 years in prison plus five more on extended licence after a trial found him guilty of attempted murder. Prosecutor Thea Viney called it “a senseless and violent attack inside a marital home.”
“Zef Gjoni armed himself with two kitchen knives and attacked his wife simply because she wanted to talk to her family,” Viney said. “The victim, who has now fled the UK, is lucky to be alive.”
Coronavirus Lockdown Excuse Shot Down
In a police interview, Gjoni claimed the coronavirus lockdown had upset his wife, causing her to cut herself. The jury rejected this lie. Medical reports and the victim’s detailed testimony, including her two-week hospital stay recovering from stab wounds, were key to the prosecution’s case.
“The CPS is committed to justice for domestic abuse victims and will prosecute whenever there’s enough evidence,” Viney added.
