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A woman stabbed her boyfriend with an eight-inch knife after he told her that he wanted to end their "very toxic" relationship.

He was left shocked after he suddenly felt pain and turned round to see her behind him with a knife.

If the wound that he suffered had been just a few inches lower, he could have suffered serious injury or been killed, a court heard.

Joanne Ritchie, 50, of Chester Walk, Grimsby, admitted assaulting the man, causing actual bodily harm, and perverting the course of justice.

Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Ritchie had a "toxic" on-off relationship with the 56-year-old man and she injured him during an argument in 2017.

He later told her that he wanted to end the relationship and she became emotional and agitated.

(Image: Facebook)

They were at his home on June 22, 2017 when he suddenly felt pain under his shoulder and was shocked to turn round and see her facing him holding a kitchen knife with an eight-inch blade.

He grabbed her arm, forced her hand down and disarmed her.

He suffered a one-inch puncture wound, which was treated at hospital.

Ritchie later sent the man a letter saying she wanted to talk to him and another saying: "Please drop all of this. Now do the right thing and drop it."

Ian Haywood, mitigating, said that it was a "very toxic" relationship but there had been no trouble since.

"Alcohol appears to have been a driving force," said Mr Haywood.

The letter sending was a "very half-hearted and doomed to failure attempt" to pervert the course of justice and there had been no further contact.

"She has stayed well away," said Mr Haywood.

Judge Mark Bury told Ritchie: "Had the wound been three or four inches lower, you could have caused him really serious harm or, if you had forced the knife in, his death and then you would be in a lot of trouble.

"Luckily for you both, the injuries were not so severe."

Ritchie was given a nine-month suspended prison sentence, 30 days' rehabilitation and a two-year restraining order.

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