A mother of three would have been killed by her former partner if police had not arrived at the home in time.

That was the ruling of Justice Brian Joyce who found Kory McFarlen guilty of attempted murder on Friday in B.C. Supreme Court.

The 39-year-old former Campbell River resident was also found guilty of break and enter, and unlawful confinement of his former common-law wife Shelly Charlebois.

"What happened to her [was] an obviously terrifying incident," said Justice Joyce while reading his decision.

The verdict appeared to be a relief to Charlebois and her family. However, she still has panic and anxiety, and has trouble sleeping, as a result of the horrific incident.

"Well, at least he got the big one," Charlebois told family members outside the Campbell River courtroom.

McFarlen and Charlebois were together 14 years and had three children, until they permanently separated in 2004. It wasn't an amicable split and problems persisted since then, particularly over McFarlen's access to the children.

Things became so bad that Charlebois obtained a restraining order against McFarlen who wound up moving to Alberta. Then in July 2007, there was an incident between both extended families when she wouldn't allow him to see the kids.

On the morning of Sept. 6, 2007, Charlebois took her older two children to school and returned home with her four-year-old daughter at 919 Hemlock St.

She had just finished a workout and was in the bath when the doorbell rang. Charlebois dressed and went to the door, only to see a man leaving who looked like her ex-partner.

She then went outside, confirmed it was McFarlen, and yelled at him to leave. That's when McFarlen drove his car towards her and she ran inside the house.

McFarlen got out of his car and ran to the side of the house where the telephone line box is located. Charlebois was speaking with 911 emergency operator when the phone suddenly went dead, likely caused by McFarlen pulling out the wires.

However, Charlebois grabbed a cell phone, called 911 again, went into the bathroom with her daughter and locked the door. During this time McFarlen had grabbed a splitting maul from the woodshed and used it to break through the main entrance.

Charlebois could hear him stomping around the house and put her hand up to the bathroom door when the axe head broke through the wood.

With a few more chops, McFarlen was through the door. During her testimony she said he appeared very angry, was breathing heavily and their was spittle in his beard.

As the terrified little girl screamed and cried, Charlebois asked McFarlen what he intended to do.

"Do you think you can f--- with me? I'm going to f--- with you. I'm going to kill you," said Charlebois, recounting McFarlen's words.

He then dragged her by the throat into the kitchen where a scuffle ensued. Charlebois and her daughter managed to make it out the side door. However, they couldn't escape.

Charlebois said McFarlen stood on the stairs laughing, telling them he had locked the gate, and then ordered them both back inside. She said he began counting to three and struck her twice in the left temple with the handle of the maul.

"He didn't even flinch. He had a sick smile on his face the whole time...and I was screaming," she said through her tears.

The family dog tried to bite McFarlen, but he kicked it away as they went back into the kitchen. She gouged at his eyes which further enraged him.

He swung the maul, but it missed her and hit a wall. McFarlen then pinned her downed and vowed, once again, to kill her.

Charlebois testified she was flailing on the ground while McFarlen punched her five times in the face. He then pinned one of her arms and put his knee and all his weight on her throat.

Within seconds she had lost consciousness, but awoke a few moments later to her daughter's cries.

"Please mommy, please wake up, the police are here," Charlebois recalled her daughter saying.

McFarlen was arrested in his vehicle a short distance away in Campbellton. He's been held in custody since the incident and underwent a psychological exam last year which found him mentally fit to stand trial.

As Justice Joyce recounted the evidence, McFarlen said nothing as he sat in the prisoner's box, but he continually shook his head in disagreement with the statements.

He will remain in custody while a forensic psychiatric report is prepared for the court. He will appear in court again on Oct. 14, to set a date for the sentencing hearing.

The maximum penalty for attempted murder is a life sentence.