A 55 year-old Cromer woman, who stabbed her partner in the chest after a Christmas Day drinking session, has been given a suspended sentence after the victim pleaded with the judge not to send her to jail.

Susan Lines, of Tucker Street, Cromer, admitted unlawfully wounding her partner David Chambers after she stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife at his Northrepps home, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Oliver Haswell, prosecuting, said neither had any recollection of the incident, but Mr Chambers managed to get help from a neighbour and was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital where he was treated for the stab wound, which had penetrated his lung. He also had a defensive cut to his hand.

Mr Haswell said when police went to the address they found Lines asleep on the sofa.

Mr Haswell said at the time Mr Chambers made it clear he did not want Lines punished but given 'words of advice.'

However, in an impact statement read in court by the victim, who was in a 10 year relationship with Lines, he reinforced that he would not want to be the reason for her going to prison and described her as his 'soul mate and true love.'

Judge Mark Dennis accepted it had been a one-off incident and happened when both parties had been drinking and told Lines, who was crying in the dock; 'You have learned your lesson and should now put this behind you.'

He said it was fortunate there was no lasting or serious injury and said the complainant in the case did not want her to go to prison.

He said: 'The root of this was excess drinking.'

He imposed a 20 month jail sentence suspended for two years.

Mark Roochove, for Lines, said she had difficulty coming to terms that she had acted this way.

He said she offered her sincere apologies to Mr Chambers and said drink lay behind the offence: 'It started out as an enjoyable Christmas Day and turned into this rather unfortunate incident.'

He said she was of low risk of re-offending.'