Student who knifed lover ‘too talented for jail’
Woman studying medicine at Oxford stabbed boyfriend in leg but should not have career ruined, says judge
AN Oxford University student who stabbed her boyfriend after a row could be spared jail after a judge said she had an “extraordinary” talent for medicine.
Lavinia Woodward, 24, who studies at Christ Church, stabbed Cambridgeeducated Thomas Fairclough in the leg with a bread knife when he threatened to call her mother during a row.
During the pair’s drink and drugfuelled argument, on December 30 last year, Woodward punched and swiped at the victim with the knife.
She then stabbed him before hurling a laptop, glass and a jam jar at him.
The pair began a relationship after they met on the dating app Tinder.
Woodward admitted a charge of unlawful wounding at Oxford Crown Court and Judge Ian Pringle said the offence would normally mean a custodial sentence.
But he deferred sentencing for a period of four months and hinted that she would not be jailed.
“It seems to me that if this was a oneoff, a complete one-off, to prevent this extraordinarily able young lady from following her long-held desire to enter the profession she wishes to, would be a sentence which would be too severe,” he said.
“What you did will never, I know, leave you but it was pretty awful, and normally it would attract a custodial sentence.”
The court was told her college would allow her to return in October because she “is that bright” and has had articles published in medical journals.
A source said her ambition had been to cure heart disease, and added that she had come top of her year in the pre- clinical tests that all Oxford medical students take at the end of their third year.
However, she was unlikely to be able to become a surgeon as her criminal conviction would have to be disclosed, said Jim Sturman QC, defending.
She had had a “very troubled life” and had been abused by another former partner, the court was told.
Woodward, who was present in court for the sentencing hearing, is currently believed to be on holiday in Barbados.
After the hearing, Mr Sturman said Woodward had been making “every effort” to get her life back on track.
“She has been seeing a counsellor,” he said. “This is not a soft option, this is a judge giving her a fair chance to prove herself.”
Woodward will be sentenced on September 25. She was given a restraining order and told to stay drug-free and not to re-offend.
Christ Church college said it did not comment on individual students.
‘Preventing this young lady from following her desire to enter the profession she wishes to would be a sentence too severe’