Mother-of-two, 36, who stabbed her ex-boyfriend is spared jail

Mother-of-two, 36, who stabbed her ex-boyfriend is spared jail after judge ruled she was the victim of ‘long term domestic abuse’

  • Emma Westwood, 36, stabbed abusive ex-boyfriend when he attacked at home 
  • Christopher Clark, 36, tracked her down following his release from prison
  • He went to her home in Sale at 3am and lunged at her with broken bottle
  • Westwood handed a 16-month jail sentence suspended for two years in court

A mother-of-two who stabbed her abusive ex-boyfriend when he attacked her with a broken bottle has been spared jail after a judge ruled she had been the victim of ‘long term domestic and physical abuse.’

Emma Westwood, 36, had won a restraining order against Christopher Clark due to his violent behaviour towards her during their year long relationship but for 18 months he kept ignoring the contact ban and continually harassed her.

When he went to prison, Westwood moved to a secret address but Clark, 36, tracked her down following his release and after getting drunk on vodka he attacked her at her home in Sale, Greater Manchester. 

During the 3am confrontation, Clarke broke down the front door of Westwood’s home and lunged at her with the broken bottle before she fought back and stabbed him twice in the chest. He fled into the street before collapsing outside.

Westwood was charged with wounding Clark, of Wythenshawe, Manchester, with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. 

But she was handed a 16-month jail sentence suspended for two years after prosecutors accepted her plea to the lesser charge of unlawful wounding due to Clark’s abusive behaviour.

Emma Westwood (pictured outside Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester), 36, was handed a 16-month jail sentence suspended for two years after prosecutors accepted her plea to the lesser charge of unlawful wounding due to her ex-boyfriend’s abusive behaviour 

The pair had started dating in 2018 but in September the following year, Clark was issued with a restraining order banning him from contacting Westwood for three years after he was convicted of assault and sending malicious communications.

Despite the ban Clark carried on contacting Westwood and in February was jailed for 26 weeks for breaching the restraining order, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.

She then moved house but he tracked her down at 3am on April 17 this year.

On the night of the incident, police were called to the scene by Westwood’s father to find Clark lying on the pavement outside with blood pouring from his wounds. 

Clark recovered from his injuries but declined to give a statement to officers and Westwood was arrested after she admitted to stabbing him in self defence. 

Prosecutor Mark Kellet said: ‘The previous evening he drank around four ciders and a couple of vodkas. He said: ”I was not sober but I was aware of what was going on” but it seems he does not remember a great deal after that.

‘Police were called to the address to find Mr Clark on the pavement lying on his side. He smelt of alcohol and was unconscious. 

‘He sustained a stab wound to the left of his chest and a small laceration on his arm. He needed oxygen and was resuscitated. He had no idea what had taken place.’

Mr Kellet added: ‘The defendant said she had had an argument with Mr Clark. She said he had broken the door and he went to stab him to defend herself. 

‘In police interview she said they had argued and they had gone to the kitchen. She picked up a knife and he had a broken bottle. She said he came to towards her. She said he had previously attacked and strangled her.

‘She said he went to grab the knife off her and he sustained injuries. She said he wouldn’t leave her alone. She explained how he calls her all of the time. She said the argument started because he took her phone. 

‘She said he had punched her and did whatever he wanted during their relationship. She said he had manipulated her, that he wasn’t nice to her and didn’t make her happy. But she had not intended to do anything to him.’  

Clark was issued with a restraining order banning him from contacting Westwood for three years after he was convicted of assault and sending malicious communications, Minshull Street Crown Court (pictured) heard

In mitigation defence counsel Matthew Curtis said: ‘This defendant moved into that address to escape difficulties in the relationship. She is the subject of a restraining order and it is designed to protect her.’

Sentencing Judge John Potter told Westwood: ‘In June 2018, you started a relationship with Christopher Clark. You had a child together and you have another child from a previous relationship.

‘Your relationship between the two of you is categorised by you being the subject of a number of incidents of domestic violence at his hands. The evidence for that assertion is plain from the analysis of Christopher Clark’s previous criminal convictions.

‘In September 2019, he was convicted for battery and for sending menacing communications and the victim in that case was you. A restraining order was granted in your favour which remains in place until March 2022.

‘There are further convictions recorded against him for harassment on you following a number of occasions where he has breached that restraining order. In February 2020, Mr Clark was sent to prison for 26 weeks for breaching that restraining order.

‘You yourself were the victim of long term domestic and physical abuse, that abuse being at the hands of Christopher Clark.

‘Whilst he was in prison, in order to start afresh away from that relationship, you and your children moved to another property. The venue which you hoped to keep a secret from Mr Clark.

‘However, on April 16, after Mr Clark had been released from custody, he discovered where you were living. You had no wish to resume any relationship with him but at 3am the following morning having found out where you were, he came to your address.

‘He had had a considerable amount to drink when he gained access to the address. He rang your father to taunt him that he had found out where you were and that he was there.

‘An argument took place and in the course of that argument, he armed himself with a broken bottle and you armed yourself with a knife. There after in excessive self defence, you struck him with the knife twice to the chest and to his arm.

‘He left the premises only to collapse outside. The police and an ambulance were called and he was taken to hospital. He had no long term injury or wish to provide any statement. You were arrested in these proceedings against the background to him having suffered a serious injury.

‘To your credit, you told the police the truth about what had happened. You were honest and open with the police immediately. The knife you used is a very dangerous weapon. But there is exceptional mitigation to stop you from going to custody today.’

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