A MAN who stabbed his wife more than 20 times on a Kendal street has been warned by a judge to expect a prison sentence “of considerable length”.

David Shepherd, 33, pleaded guilty at Carlisle Crown Court today to a charge of attempting to murder his wife Stephanie Elizabeth Shepherd outside their home in Sparrowmire Lane on December 9.

No details of what happened were given in court but prosecuting barrister Tim Evans said the attack followed a court hearing involving the couple earlier in the day.

Judge Paul Batty QC described it as “obviously a grievous matter” and said he would have to decide how much of a danger to other people Shepherd would pose in the future.

He adjourned the hearing for pre sentence reports, which he said would help him decide whether to call for a further psychiatric report to go with two already obtained by Shepherd’s defence team.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Shepherd, who appeared in the dock flanked by four mental health nurses and clasped a string of white rosary beads in front of him throughout the hearing, was remanded in custody in a prison hospital wing.

He will be sentenced on June 20.