Oxford student Lavinia Woodward who stabbed boyfriend with bread knife denied appeal against suspended sentence
She received a suspended sentence after the judge thought going to prison would damage her career
AN Oxford University student who received a suspended 10-month prison sentence for stabbing her boyfriend has been denied permission to appeal her sentence.
Lavinia Woodward was described during her trial as an “extraordinarily able young lady” despite pleading guilty to unlawful wounding.
The 24-year-old was spared jail in September despite knifing boyfriend Thomas Fairclough while high on cocaine and alcohol nine months earlier.
Judge Ian Pringle QC suspended her 10-month jail sentence and at an earlier hearing said he believed immediate custody would damage her hopes of becoming a surgeon.
The judge’s leniency infuriated justice campaigners, who said offenders from less privileged backgrounds were regularly locked up for similar attacks.
Woodward appealed her sentence but a judge at the Court of Appeal refused after reviewing her application.
The student, who once posed nude for a lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer society photo, launched herself at Cambridge PhD student Thomas at her digs in Oxford.
He was worried that she had been taking drugs and contacted her mum — sending Woodward into a fury.
She smashed up her room at Christ Church College, punched Thomas, 25, in the face and hurled a laptop, a glass and a jam jar at him.
In a recording of his 999 call, panicky Thomas tells the operator: “I think my girlfriend has taken a lot of drugs and is throwing a lot of stuff around the house.”
Woodward is heard shouting incoherently in the background.
Thomas goes on: “She is throwing things around . . . Ow!”
The 999 operator says: “You believe she is on drugs?”
Thomas says: “Yes, she’s definitely on cocaine at least.”
Woodward shouts: “I’m not!”
Thomas then screams and yells: “My hand! I’ve been stabbed by my girlfriend. Please come down here!”
There is no suggestion Mr Fairclough had himself been taking drugs.
Thomas, who had met Woodward on dating app Tinder, suffered a knife wound in his leg that needed three stitches.
Two of his fingers were also injured.
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