Jodie Clinton, 23, (pictured outside court) of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, knifed Gavin McFarlane, 44, after she returned home from a night out and they began arguing

A woman who was high on cocaine when she stabbed her step-father in the back while he sat on the sofa in the home they shared has avoided prison.

Jodie Clinton, 23, of Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire, knifed Gavin McFarlane, 44, after she returned home from a night out and they began arguing.

Mr McFarlane and Clinton's mum Karen, 52, had separated but still lived together at their home in the Warwickshire village of Henley-in-Arden.

She had returned home at around midnight on October 21 last year and began arguing with Mr McFarlane, who had brought her up since she was nine years old.

Her mother returned home and when Mr McFarlane sat on the sofa, Clinton grabbed a kitchen knife and plunged the blade into his back.

When the police arrived she confessed she had stabbed Mr McFarlane but he refused to press charges.

She admitted assault causing actual bodily harm when she appeared at Warwick Crown Court on Friday.

Clinton was given a 12-month community order, with a 25-day rehabilitation activity, and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Andrew Lockhart QC called Clinton's crime 'grave' but spared her prison after Mr McFarlane pleaded with him not to jail his step-daughter.

Judge Lockhart told Clinton: 'You are 23 years of age, and this is your first encounter with the courts. But on the 21st of October you took up a knife.

Judge Andrew Lockhart QC called Clinton's crime 'grave' but spared her prison after Mr McFarlane pleaded with him not to jail his step-daughter

'Only yesterday I had the unpleasant task of sentencing a young man to life imprisonment because he too had picked up a knife and used it.

'The use of knives in society is corrosive, and must not happen, no matter what the circumstances and what the provocation.

'Instead of calling 999 or pulling your mother away and removing her from the situation, you picked up a weapon and slammed it into his back.

'That is a serious matter, but it could be said it was defence of another, and a level of provocation could be argued.

'I also bear in mind your immediate co-operation, your previous good character, your mental health problems, which I take no further, and your remorse.

'This crosses the custody threshold by some margin, but I step back from passing a custodial sentence by reason of the significant mitigation, and because I find this to be an exceptional case.'

The court heard Mr McFarlane suffered a 1cm deep stab wound to his shoulder but did not make a formal complaint because he did not want Clinton to get into trouble.

Mr McFarlane made a written statement, but said he would not make a formal complaint, explaining that Clinton was 'under a lot of stress'.

Prosecutor Ian Windridge said Clinton's mother Karen and her step-father Gavin McFarlane had separated, but both continued living at the family home.

He said: 'When Clinton returned at around midnight there was an argument between her and Mr McFarlane.

'Her mother got back shortly afterwards and also became involved in the argument.

'Karen Clinton and Mr McFarlane ended up in the living room where, each sitting on a sofa and facing each-other, the argument became heated.

'Mr McFarlane then heard a noise behind him and felt a pain to the top of his back, and he turned round and saw Jodie Clinton had a knife in her hand.

'She dropped it and ran from the room.

'She had called the police because of the argument, and when they arrived she was outside and said she had stabbed her step-father.'

The court heard Clinton was quizzed by police and confessed to stabbing her step-father but claimed she feared he was about to attack her mother.