Woman stabbed victim in face with 'dirty' knife, leaving her scarred for life - but is spared jail

Kiera Bates, aka Storey, stabbed Anne Trotter's cheek when trouble erupted at a house in Hebburn and left her needing hospital treatment.Newcastle Crown Court heard Bates had been involved in a row with others, when Miss Trotter intervened as she was worried about the presence of her pregnant daughter.In the violence that followed, Bates, 31, stabbed a knife she was carrying into the left side of Miss Trotter's face.Prosecutor Jenny Haigh told the court: "Miss Trotter accepts she had spoken to the defendant and was worried about her pregnant daughter."She was pointing her finger and there was an incident which resulted in the defendant stabbing Miss Trotter, in what is said is excessive self defence, to her left cheek."Miss Haigh told the court Miss Trotter was told at hospital that her injury will leave a permanent scar.Miss Trotter said in a victim statement she is "appalled" at being stabbed and added: "She must have had the knife with her during the incident as she didn't have time to pick it up."It could have been much worse if she had stabbed me daughter."I am going to be left with a permanent scar on my face as a result of this."I am also going to have to have tetanus injections due to the knife looking so dirty."Miss Trotter said she had "nothing to do with" the injuries suffered by Bates during the incident, which include a black eye and losing clumps of hair.Bates, of Nevilles Cross Road, Hebburn, admitted unlawful wounding.Judge Tim Gittins sentenced her to 15 months behind bars, suspended for 18 months, with programme and rehabilitation requirements.Judge Gittins said probation service intervention would help Bates deal with future confrontation in a more constructive way.The judge told Bates: "When people carry knives when there are arguments and tempers flying, anything can happen. So quickly it can become a fatal incident."One can understand the provocation and the need to defend yourself but it is well in excess of anything lawful to produce a knife you brought to the scene and lash out with it."It is bad enough to cause a wound to anyone but causing a wound to a face, causing a wound to a lady's face is all the more serious."Judge Gittins said it was fortunate the wound was relatively minor and caused by a single blow.Rachel Hedworth, defending, said Bates, who has previous convictions but has been out of trouble for the last six years, has had an "extremely difficult" life with little guidance or support and is vulnerable, with a number of personal issues.Miss Hedworth said the single knife blow was "excessive self defence" and added: "In the spur of the moment she panicked."She fully accepts what she did was wrong and she utterly regrets it."