A mum who knifed her former lover in the backside after he refused to leave her home has been spared jail.

A court heard Jasmine Collins first 'prodded' Lee Walters with the kitchen knife as he lay on her bed following a drink and drugs-fuelled evening.

But when he laughed at her and turned over to go to sleep, the 27-year-old stabbed him with more force.

The blade penetrated his left buttock to a depth of 10cm and he was left bleeding heavily and in extreme pain.

Collins, who has previous convictions and cautions for violence including assaulting police, admitted unlawful wounding.

But she was handed a suspended sentence after a judge said there were 'a lot of positives' to her character.

Maidstone Crown Court heard today Collins and Mr Walters had been in an 'on and off, volatile relationship based entirely on drugs and alcohol' for about five years.

At the time of the knife attack Mr Walters was also subject to a restraining order.

But following contact between them at Christmas, he then turned up while his mother was visiting Collins at her home in Bell Road, Maidstone, on January 15 this year.

Prosecutor John Fitzgerald said there was 'much drinking and taking cocaine' by everyone until, at 5.30am, there was a row and Collins went upstairs to bed.

Mr Walters joined her, laying on the bed fully-clothed, only to be told by Collins to leave.

"He then felt a prod to his bottom and saw the defendant standing with a kitchen knife in her hand," said Mr Fitzgerald.

"He frankly laughed at her, ignored her requests to leave and turned over to go to sleep.

"That reaction only sought to antagonise her further and the next thing he felt was a much sharper pain in his left buttock.

"It was plain she had stabbed him in the bottom with the knife.

"He ran to the bathroom in extreme pain, bleeding profusely and feeling dizzy."

The court heard Collins phoned for an ambulance but initially claimed Mr Walters had injured himself on an ashtray.

She then changed her story to say he had fallen on a 'spiky candle' after bouncing off the bed.

Collins was initially charged with wounding with intent but the prosecution offered no evidence after she pleaded guilty to the less serious offence of unlawful wounding.

The mum of two was described as having had a good upbringing on her father's farm in Bredhurst and left school with 11 GCSEs.

She went on to achieve diplomas in equine management, and has also completed a butchery course with the hope of eventually taking over the family farm.

But her life had 'fallen apart' when she took a gap year in her education and began abusing drugs and alcohol, the court was told.

The restraining order on Mr Walters was said to have been made by a court at her request following claims he would go to her house, be aggressive and damage property.

Collins believed she had been 'set up to have a party' when he joined his mum at her home that night.

She told a probation officer she became angry and frustrated when he later refused to leave and initially picked up the knife in a bid to frighten him.

But she admitted she became 'more angry' and stabbed him when he laughed at her.

The court was told their relationship was now over, she no longer took cocaine or amphetamine, and was 'motivated and determined' to turn her life around.

"It was plain she had stabbed him in the bottom with the knife. He ran to the bathroom in extreme pain, bleeding profusely and feeling dizzy" - prosecutor John Fitzgerald

Tom Stern, defending, said any element of premeditation needed to be balanced with Mr Walters not only refusing to leave but also the fact he should not have been at Collins's home in the first place.

Imposing 15 months' jail suspended for two years, with 15 rehabilitation activity sessions and 100 hours of unpaid work, Judge Adele Williams told Collins: "What you did on this occasion was wrong and you knew that.

"You stabbed your former partner in the left buttock which caused a deep wound that bled profusely and required hospital treatment.

"But you called the ambulance, you had been struggling with drink and drugs, were subject to a volatile relationship and there was a restraining order in place which meant he should not have been at your property at all.

"I am pleased to hear you are now trying to put your life back in order.

"You have a lot of positive things that can be said about you.

"But you need to rid yourself once and for all of your drink and drug problems.
"This is a great opportunity now to put you life in order."

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.