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A Stoke-on-Trent woman stabbed her boyfriend in a revenge attack after he told her she was packing too many clothes to take on holiday.

Lesley Bradbury was in the grip of a 'pathological rage' when she knifed Gary Moore after realising he had unloaded some of her belongings from their car.

Police called to the couple's home discovered driving instructor Mr Moore bleeding from a wound to his left bicep whilst Bradbury was shouting: ''He deserved it.''

Her excess clothing was found inside the property.

A court heard the former invoice clerk lashed out at Mr Moore as she suffered from a condition which causes her to hoard goods and fiercely protect them.

Now 50-year-old Bradbury, of Keelings Road, Northwood, has been handed a suspended prison sentence.

Prosecutor Jonathan Turner told Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester that the incident took place at 10.30pm on December 29 as the pair were packing for a holiday to see in the New Year.

He added: “Police attended the home Bradbury shared with her partner and he was outside he had a two-inch stab wound to his left bicep.

''The defendant had stabbed him with a knife after he moved some of her belongings out of the car they were packing for a holiday. She said to police he deserved it and she wanted to kill herself.

“Inside the house he had thrown some of her possessions and she had stabbed him in order to stop him. There is no complaint from the complainant - he is hopeful for a renewal in the relationship.''

The court heard the victim was treated for his wounds but is thought to have made a full recovery.

Mr Moore refused to give a statement to police and it is thought the couple are still together.

Bradbury was initially charged with intent to cause grievous bodily harm but prosecutors accepted her guilty plea to unlawful wounding.

The case had been delayed due to concerns about Bradbury continuing her relationship with Mr Moore.

(Image: MEN Media)

Richard English, mitigating, said: “It is a case where if the defendant was well this wouldn’t have happened.”

Judge Paul Lawton sentenced Bradbury to 12 months in jail suspended for 18 months.

She was also ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

Judge Lawton, who had said at a previous hearing that Bradbury would not be going to prison, told her: “It has been difficult to get to the bottom of why you did this.

“You do have a psychological disorder that causes you to hoard goods and you need to protect those in a pathological way so you lashed out at him with a knife.

“But that doesn’t reduce your culpability - the knife could have gone into the chest and it could have been a different scenario. Your conduct has to be marked with a prison sentence but it won’t be an immediate custodial sentence.''

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