A Norwich woman has avoided an immediate jail sentence despite stabbing her boyfriend with a kitchen knife. 

Joanne Utting, 52, was found guilty of unlawful wounding after she lunged at her then partner during a drunken dispute. 

Norwich Crown Court was told he needed emergency treatment but had been lucky not to suffer much more serious injuries after being stabbed during the attack at a property at Rye Close in July 2022.

Police called to the scene found it covered in blood with a bloodied knife found under a coffee table in the living room. 

Eastern Daily Press: The stabbing occurred during a drunken dispute at a property in Rye Close, Norwich The stabbing occurred during a drunken dispute at a property in Rye Close, Norwich (Image: Google)

READ MORE: Woman found guilty of stabbing her partner in Norwich

Utting, of Shorncliffe Close in Norwich, was found guilty by a jury following almost six hours of deliberations following a trial in March. 

Prosecutors said she had picked up the kitchen knife and used it as a “highly dangerous weapon” but that the attack had been “short lived, impulsive and spontaneous”.

There was a history of violence in the relationship but this was a "two-way street”, the court was told.   

Andrew Oliver, mitigating, said: “She has a history of having suffered violence and there appears to have been an element of provocation.”

He said she has had time to reflect on her actions and break from her former partner during a lengthy period on bail prior to standing trial during which she had been banned from entering Norfolk. 

Eastern Daily Press: Utting has already spent five months on remand at HMP PeterboroughUtting has already spent five months on remand at HMP Peterborough (Image: Newsquest)

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Recorder John Brooke-Smith told her: “You know just how serious this stabbing using a knife on your behalf could potentially have been.” 

He said the offence was aggravated by recent previous convictions of violence including assaults on police officers. 

Suspending a 12 month jail sentence for 12 months he said he accepted there had been some provocation. 

She has already spent more than five months on remand in HMP Peterborough.

He ordered her to undertake a six month alcohol treatment order and complete 20 rehabilitation days.