A MAN has been found guilty of attempting to murder his ex-partner after holding a knife to her neck and setting fire to her home.

As previously reported, Kyle Butler, 28, from Cannon Close, Ellisfield, stood trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of attempted murder and wounding with intent. The trial began on Monday, March 27 and lasted just over a week.

Officers were called to an address in Butler Close in Basingstoke at 6.34am on Friday, June 24, last year. They found a woman in her 20s with non-life-threatening injuries.

READ MORE: Man who allegedly tried to kill ex-partner had no intention to do so

The court heard that he stabbed his ex-partner three times with a knife he had purchased and set fire to her home. 

On Wednesday, April 5 the jury found Butler guilty of attempted murder after deliberating for around three hours.

Judge Angela Morris thanked the jury for their service.

Speaking to the jury she said: "Criminal trials can be very distressing and sometimes the information we ask members of the jury to deal with can be disturbing. The 12 of you, and members of the public such as you, who give their time are vital to the way our justice system works and without you, the system would grind to a holt."

Opening the case, prosecutor Kerry Maylin said: "Mr Butler entered [the property] Butler Close without an invitation, he made his way into the house and he made his way to her bedroom where she was sleeping. He woke her, he held a knife to her throat, he threatened to kill her and himself, he phoned his sister to collect the two children."

Ms Maylin continued: "[Butler's ex-partner] did as she could to prevent the knife from being anything other than being held to her throat. She put her hand between the blade and her neck and grabbed the blade and in doing so received a substantial injury to her hand.

"The police officers in the premises with the smoke and the fire knew they had to act to disarm Kyle Butler. The fire that had been set continued to burn."

SEE ALSO: Butler Close: 'Man set fire to ex-partner's home and stabbed her'

During the trial, the court was shown bodycam footage recorded by PC Robert Davies and PC James Pawley who attended the address and described the scene as "distressing".

PC Davies said: "As I approached the bedroom, I could see that the defendant and a female were on the bed facing me so I stopped just in the doorway.

"His right hand was held up towards the right-hand side of her neck. His hand appeared to be held quite tidily around her neck."

The court also heard that when police arrived Butler had "barricaded" the entrance to the stairs with children's toys and had set fire to bedding.

Butler is due to be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, May 30.