A Canterbury man stabbed by his partner with a steak knife has told a court he stills loves her.

Mum-of-three Angie Leeds, 30, plunged the blade into Mark Whorlow’s side at their home in Union Street last year.

Despite the attack he said in a statement read to the court: “It is very sad because I still love her, but I can’t put up with her anymore. My heart has been broken that she could have done this to me.”

Judge Simon James jailed Leeds for 16 months and ordered her to stay away from her ex-lover and their former home for the next five years.

Leeds was originally charged with wounding with intent but on the first day of the trial at Canterbury Crown Court offered a guilty plea to the lesser charge of unlawful wounding.

The incident, in June 2014, came just a month after she had appeared at court and received a suspended sentence for two assaults.

“He tried to defend himself and pushed her arms away but as he did so he felt a sharp pain and then saw blood, even though he didn’t see a weapon” - Simon Taylor, prosecuting

Simon Taylor, prosecuting, told how Mr Whorlow had returned home between 8pm and 9pm with some cans of beer which they both drank.

“Initially all was fine until the two began bickering and she became abusive,” Mr Taylor said. “He told her to calm down but Leeds got up and began slapping him in his face repeatedly.

“He tried to defend himself and pushed her arms away but as he did so he felt a sharp pain and then saw blood, even though he didn’t see a weapon.”

Mr Taylor added that Mr Whorlow shouted for help but Leeds became even more aggressive as he walked away.

“She just followed him outside and began to kick, shout and slap him until he left the flat,” he said.

“The police were called and she was arrested but denied having a knife.”

Leeds would later claim she had been using the steak knife to eat her evening meal and used it because it was in her hand.

Mr Whorlow was taken to hospital and treated for a 1cm wound but was released the same day.

Judge James told her: “This was an offence against someone in their home while you were drunk.

“In my judgement any use of a knife will result in an immediate custodial sentence. It is clear that you have a number of issues in your past which appear likely to have contributed to you acting in the way you did.

“That, however, does not justify you using a potentially deadly weapon to deliberately injured someone. Although there had been an argument, it cannot be said that there had been any real provocation.”

The judge heard that during her time on remand Leeds had been tackling her alcohol problem.

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