A WOMAN who stabbed her partner in the chest during a row at her Worcester home has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Susanna Gardner, aged 34, picked up a knife from the kitchen work surface as Stephen Hope grabbed her after they had both been drinking, Simon Phillips, prosecuting, told Worcester Crown Court.

Mr Hope had a small superficial wound to the chest and Gardner immediately dropped the knife on the floor.

Mr Phillips said the incident happened during a volatile relationship which was marked by excessive drinking and the intervention of the police on several occasions.

He said Gardner suffered from a severe depression and had spent time in hospital.There had been continuing disputes over their child, who was living elsewhere with Mr Hope but stayed with him regularly at Gardner’s home in Windsor Avenue, Worcester.

On the day of the assault in October, 2010, the couple had argued and Mr Hope had been preparing to leave.

Gardner pleaded guilty to causing serious bodily harm and claimed she was acting in self-defence because she was frightened.

John Attwood, defending, said it was a sad case involving a woman who was very vulnerable mentally.

She had been taking medication, but this had not stopped her drinking and it clouded her judgment.

He said it was a one-off offence that was over in a matter of seconds and she was full of remorse.

Gardner was well aware of how much more serious it could have been.

Judge John Cavell said the wounding had been reckless rather than pre-meditated and he had taken into account Gardner’s previous good character.

He gave her a jail term of 36 weeks suspended for two years with supervision and a requirement to attend 12 sessions at the Asha Women’s Centre, Worcester.