A WOMAN who stabbed her neighbour with a shard of glass has been jailed.

Natasha Law, of Padgate, was handed two years behind bars at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, February 26, after admitting wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm.

The court heard that the incident erupted on July 7 last, when the pair were drinking in the victim’s flat on Unsworth Court with two other friends.

What initially began with joking and an ‘exchange of words’ escalated and led to the 25-year-old, also of Unsworth Court, attacking her neighbour during a ‘sustained assault’.

She stabbed the 56-year-old in the head, body and arms with a shard of glass from his coffee table – which he had earlier fallen through and destroyed – leaving him covered in blood.

Law, who is also known as Natasha Bragg, claimed to police that she had acted in self-defence – but now ‘accepts that she is completely in the wrong’.

Her actions, which followed a decade of drink and drug abuse, were described as ‘absolutely appalling’.

The defendant – who appeared via video link to HMP Styal, where she is working in the prison’s kitchens – was jailed for a week in the summer after admitting battery in connection with an incident on Bridge Street in the town centre, which occurred the day before this serious assault.

Sentencing, judge Garrett Thomas Byrne said: “I really do sincerely hope that when you are released you will be able to address the underlying issues which cause you to drink and commit acts of violence.

“You have previous convictions, but nothing this serious – it represents a worrying escalation in violence.

“It’s clear that you do have some challenges, and until you are able to sort out these issues you will carry on drinking.”

Law was also handed a restraining order preventing her from contacting the victim indefinitely and told to pay a victim surcharge.

She will serve at least half of her sentence in custody before being released on licence.

Detective constable Leah Greenacre, who led the investigation, said: “The victim in this case was subjected to a vicious assault at the hands of someone he considered to be a friend.

“He sustained a number of cuts as a result of the attack involving a piece of glass.

“Thankfully, none of the injuries he sustained were life threatening or life-changing, and his attacker is now behind bars facing the consequences of her actions.

“I hope that the culmination of this case provides the victim with some closure and deters others from committing similar offences.

“Here at Cheshire Police, we will not tolerate any weapon being used to inflict injury on others and I would like to thank the victim and the other members of the public who provided information to help us secure the assault convictions.”

Cheshire police and crime commissioner David Keane added: “Violent incidents of this nature are completely unacceptable, and I would like to thank the officers who have been involved in securing these convictions for their hard work and dedication.

“I hope that this case reassures residents that Cheshire Police is committed to bringing violent offenders to justice and making our communities safer places to live, work and visit.”