A WOMAN has been jailed for stabbing her partner, six years after being locked up for a near identical attack.

Donna Bowden stabbed her then boyfriend in the stomach, leg and hand with a bread knife after a row erupted between the pair at her home in Latchford in December.

On Friday, March 24, the 46-year-old was jailed for two years at Liverpool Crown Court.

The court heard that on December 6, Bowden and her partner Nigel Hands were having an argument at the property on Kingsway South.

Mr Hands hit Bowden over the head with a drawer from a kitchen unit and she tried to headbutt him.

He then put a knife in Bowden's hand and screamed at her to stab him.

Bowden then stabbed Mr Hands at least twice, causing injuries to the stomach, leg and left hand.

The incident was reported to the police by a member of staff' from the housing association that owns the property after they visited the address.

'Clear evidence' of alcohol and drug use was seen and a bread knife was recovered from the kitchen sink, while officers found Mr Hands sat on a bed with injuries described as 'gaping holes'.

Mr Hands refused medical attention and would not cooperate with Cheshire Police's investigation, meaning that the extent of his injuries were unclear.

The court heard that while he wishes to continue the relationship, Bowden does not.

Bowden had previously been jailed for 30 months after stabbing a previous boyfriend in the chest in 2011, with the knife missing the victim's heart by centimetres.

Defending barrister Oliver Jarvis told the court that Bowden, who has 36 previous convictions for 64 offences, has a long history of drug abuse and a background of domestic violence.

He added that the attack was not pre-meditated and that Bowden is 'remorseful'.

Recorder Michael Duck jailed Bowden for two years after she admitted unlawfully wounding.

She will serve half of that sentence in prison before being released on license.

Sentencing, recorder Duck said: "You tried to headbutt Mr Hands and he took a knife, put it in your hand and provoked you to stab him.

"The reality of this case is that you always had a choice whether to do that or not, and you chose to inflict violence upon him.

"Any stabbing injury is serious, but stabbing someone in the stomach is particularly serious because of the potential consequences for the individual concerned.

"You have been before this court before after inflicting injuries with a knife so you must have known the potential consequences for you and your victim.

"The reason for a lot of your offending is your domestic background but it is no excuse for what happened on December 6.

"This was a serious offence - the number of injuries are difficult to discern but the consequences could have been significantly more serious."