Woman who stabbed her boyfriend twice after drinking in Boldon avoids prison

Kimberley Blyth caused two knife wounds to Alan Kellett's arm, left him "covered in blood" and convinced she was trying to kill him.

A judge at Newcastle Crown Court said one of the injuries, which was gaping, was "pretty gruesome" but suspended the prison sentence so that Blyth, who is now pregnant with someone else's baby, will not give birth behind bars.

Prosecutor Claire Anderson told the court the couple had met through Facebook around ten months earlier but the relationship had become "toxic", with allegations of violence being made to the police by both of them.

Miss Anderson said on April 2, 2022, the pair had gone out drinking in Boldon, South Tyneside, then returned home.

She added: "Shortly after midnight on 3rd April, there appears to have been an altercation in the kitchen and the defendant believed that she had been assaulted.

"She picked up a knife from the knife block and came towards Alan Kellett.

He raised his left arm to protect himself, and was stabbed."

The court heard after the stabbing Mr Kellett, a bricklayer, rang his mother and told her: "Please come, she has stabbed me twice. I'm bleeding I've never lost this much blood, it has gone through a main artery."

Miss Anderson said police arrived at the house at around 2.10am and Mr Kellett answered the door, "covered in blood".

Blyth, 36, of Longscar Walk, Hartlepool, County Durham, who has previous convictions, admitted wounding on the basis she believed he had assaulted her and she picked up the knife in self defence and attacked him.

In a victim statement, Mr Kellett said: "In April 2022 when I was stabbed in the left arm I felt she was going to kill me.

"At the time of the assault I was stabbed in the left arm to defend myself had I not put my arm up I would probably have been stabbed in the chest and killed.

"I believe that Blyth has tried to kill me that night.

"As a result of the injuries I have permanent nerve damage for life. I work as a brick layer having this permanent nerve damage has affected my ability to work.

"I have to take extended breaks to rest my arm and this does not go down to well with my employer. It takes me twice as long to do my job now.

"I am on amitriptyline tablet for nerve damage and pain killers. The whole incident has affected my sleep and I often wake up at night as have to reposition my arm.

"I am told I will have this for life.

"I also have a permanent scar to my left arm where I was stabbed and every time I see this it brings it all back."

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Tabitha Buck, defending Blyth, said it was a "tempestuous relationship" with accusations of domestic violence from both sides.

Miss Buck said Blyth is nine weeks pregnant, already has a child and "shows remorse towards Mr Kellett".

Miss Buck added that Blyth has a law degree, previously worked in the TSB fraud team and has a good prospect of rehabilitation.

Mr Recorder Brian Whitehead said pictures of one of the injuries was "pretty gruesome" and "pretty horrible".

The recorder added that Blyth claims she was provoked and is "not so much" a risk to the public but added: "For me, the biggest factor is your pregnancy, if I was to imprison you now there is no guarantee you would be put in a mother and baby unit and it could be the baby would be taken into care and that can't be right."

Blyth was sentenced to 21 months, suspended for two years, with 150 hours unpaid work and a five year restraining order.