A wife who stabbed her husband after years of domestic abuse has been spared jail.

Jodie Owen stabbed her husband on Boxing Day and left him unconscious and bleeding heavily.

The stabbed husband had previously hit her and knocked her teeth out, as well as attacking her in a lift on holiday in Spain, the court heard.

Her defence also said that she had suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of the death of her son and the abuse she had suffered from her husband and a previous partner.

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A judge at Teesside Crown Court decided against jailing her after hearing her sad story.

The lawyer presenting her defence said she "lost her temper" as a result of remarks and comments made by her husband in the lead up to the incident.

Richard Bennett also said: "The complainant - and I hesitate to use the word 'victim' - subjected the defendant to five years of domestic violence. She came from a previous marriage of nine years which was a violent marriage."

He added: "The tragedy of this case is that this lady is a victim. The real serious behaviour has been at the hands of the other party."

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The judge said that the case was an unusual one and handed down a 10-month sentence suspended for two years, as well as 30 days of rehabilitation.

The police were called on Boxing Day to the couple's home in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough following a call reporting the stabbing.

He had six wounds in his arm from the attack and was unconscious when they arrived.

Jodie Owen. Credit: Evening Gazette

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Her husband did not make a formal statement of complaint and refused to allow his medical records to be used in the trial or have his injuries photographed.

Owen told the court that she had been frightened that he might use violence against her before she stabbed him.

Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC said: "This is a very unusual case.

"There's been much unhappiness in your life, none of which has been of your making.

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"In my judgment, it would not serve society for you to be locked up."

He accepted that the history of domestic abuse was truthful, saying that there was "clear documentary evidence and expert evidence" as well as the husband's previous conviction for the incident in which Owen lost her teeth.