A MAN appeared in court today charged with kidnapping and attempted murder after a woman was found with stab wounds 50 miles from her home.

Clare Wright, 28, was allegedly seen being dragged “kicking and screaming” from her house at around 8.40am on Monday in the Norfolk village of Kirby Cane near Bungay, Suffolk.

She was found with serious stab injuries nearly three hours later in a country lane on the outskirts of Nacton, near Ipswich, Suffolk.

Christopher Crichton, 32, of Park Street in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, was today charged with her attempted murder and kidnapping.

He appeared via video link from the Police Investigation Centre at Great Yarmouth for a brief hearing at Norwich magistrates court.

The full kidnapping charge stated that he “unlawfully by force or fraud took or carried away Clare Wright against her will” on Monday.

Crichton, who was wearing a dark top and a Covid mask, spoke only to confirm his details during the hearing.

District Judge Shanta Deonarine remanded him in custody to appear before Norwich Crown Court on May 14. No application was made for bail.

Norfolk Police have said that they were initially called to reports that a woman had been seen “in distress” before being driven away from Kirby Cane.

Villagers said Ms Wright was reportedly seen being taken off in a white 4X4 car.

One local resident said: “My 18-year-old daughter was driving to school when she saw a woman being dragged out of the house by a man.

“She was kicking and screaming as she was being pulled by her arms. She clearly didn’t want to go into the car and was put in there by force.

“My daughter turned around to have a look and saw her sitting in the passenger seat as she was driven away.”

Ms Wright is said to have been found injured in a lay-by beside a blocked off field entrance, around 300 yards from the nearest house in Nacton.

An air ambulance landed in a nearby field and flew her to Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge.

Norfolk Police said she had serious injuries and remained in a stable condition.

Ms Wright bought her semi-detached house in Kirby Cane in 2018 and was often seen walking her Labrador dog around the village.

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