Judge had reportedly earlier told Lavinia Woodward a prison term could damage her prospects of becoming a heart surgeon

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

An Oxford University student who stabbed her boyfriend with a bread knife has been given a suspended prison sentence.

A judge caused controversy earlier this year when he reportedly told Lavinia Woodward that a jail term could damage her prospects of a medical career and would be too severe as a result.

The judge’s comments led to accusations of leniency and tabloid headlines including “too clever for prison”.

Woodward, an aspiring heart surgeon studying at Christ Church, Oxford, had previously admitted unlawfully wounding the Cambridge University student, who she met on Tinder.

The judge, Ian Pringle QC, sitting at Oxford crown court, sentenced Woodward to 10 months in prison suspended for 18 months.

Earlier this year, Pringle hinted that she would not be jailed. “It seems to me that if this was a one-off, a complete one-off, to prevent this extraordinary able young lady from not following her long-held desire to enter the profession she wishes to would be a sentence which would be too severe,” he said.

“What you did will never, I know, leave you, but it was pretty awful, and normally it would attract a custodial sentence, whether it is immediate or suspended.”



Woodward, who lives in Milan with her mother, stabbed her then boyfriend in the leg after punching him in the face. She proceeded to throw a laptop, glass and jam jar at him during the attack on 30 September 2016, the court previously heard.



Woodward’s defence lawyer, James Sturman QC, said the judge’s comments had been taken out of context and it was wrong to say the defendant had been treated leniently because of her academic achievement.

Sturman said Woodward, who has a personality disorder, eating disorder, and drug and alcohol dependency, had been given time to prove that she could make a success of rehabilitation.

Sentencing her on Monday, Pringle said: “There are many mitigating features in your case. Principally, at the age of 24 you have no previous convictions of any nature whatsoever.

“Secondly, I find that you were genuinely remorseful following this event and indeed, it was against your bail conditions, you contacted your partner to fully confess your guilt and your deep sorrow for what happened.

“Thirdly, while you are a clearly highly intelligent individual, you had an immaturity about you which was not commensurate for someone of your age.

“Fourthly, as the reports from the experts make clear, you suffer from an emotionally unstable personality disorder, a severe eating disorder, and alcohol [and] drug dependence.

“Finally, and most significantly, you have demonstrated over the past nine months that you are determined to rid yourself of your alcohol and drug addiction and have undergone extensive treatment, including counselling, to address the many issues that you face.

“In particular, you have demonstrated to me since I adjourned this matter in May a strong and unwavering determination to do so, despite the enormous pressure under which you were put.”

