Forty years of marriage shattered in a moment of brutal violence, a courtroom now piecing together the fractured narrative of Keith and Claire Bridger. The idyllic picture of a long union lay in ruins, replaced by accusations of attempted murder and a desperate struggle for survival.
The catalyst, according to testimony, was a devastating revelation. Keith Bridger calmly informed his wife that their two rescue dogs – a source of both joy and frustration – were gone. He recounted telling her, “Claire, the dogs have been put down.” The words, delivered with a chilling matter-of-factness, unleashed a fury that would irrevocably alter their lives.
Claire’s reaction was immediate and overwhelming. Witnesses described her as becoming “almost hysterical,” erupting in screams of “You killed my dogs, you killed my dogs!” The dogs, adopted in 2020 and 2021, had presented challenges – described as “noisy,” “bitey,” and plagued by “behavioural issues.” After the couple separated, Keith had taken the dogs, and ultimately, unable to find suitable new homes, made the agonizing decision to have them euthanized.
The confrontation escalated with terrifying speed. Keith testified that Claire drove directly towards him, then emerged from the car wielding a knife. He described the brutal attack, a desperate fight for his life. The first stab wound pierced his chest, just below his nipple. A second followed below his rib cage, and a third under his armpit, each blow met with a ferocious struggle.
As he fought to defend himself, Claire reportedly unleashed a torrent of accusations, branding him a “bas*d” who had “killed our dogs” and “ruined” her life. The attack didn’t end with the stabbing. Keith recounted being bitten twice on his thigh as he lay bleeding on the ground, screaming for help.
Neighbours, alerted by the commotion, intervened, pulling Claire off her husband and providing crucial first aid. Claire, however, offered a different account, claiming she had simply stopped by to drop off some belongings and inquire about mediation and the dogs’ whereabouts. She recalled a vague memory of opening the car door, then a “huge weight” on her back, her recollection clouded and fragmented.
A kitchen knife found in her car added another layer to the unfolding drama. She explained it had been left after a trip to the local dump and was in her hand as she adjusted her seat, claiming she “tossed” it onto the passenger seat. Her last clear memory, she stated, was her husband’s face contorted with “complete fury” as he delivered the news of the dogs’ fate.
Witness Naomi Yeoh described a chaotic scene, arriving to find a man and a woman locked in a violent struggle on the ground. She identified the man as Keith, observing that he “looked like he was trying to fight her off.” Another neighbour noted that Claire “smelt very strongly of alcohol” and appeared “mad and intoxicated.”
Claire Bridger has admitted to wounding her husband with intent, but vehemently denies attempting to murder him. The trial continues, leaving a community reeling from the shocking violence and grappling with the tragic story of a marriage consumed by grief and rage.
