Oxford student ‘too bright to jail’ after stabbing ex with bread knife is dating super-rich Russian oligarch’s son who stood by her
Lavinia Woodward's new boyfriend Philip Kagalovsky is the son of Russian oligarch Konstantin Kagalovsky, who is worth £1.2 billion
THE Oxford University medical student dubbed ‘too bright for jail’ has been dating the son of a super-rich oligarch who stood by her during her trial.
Lavinia Woodward was handed a suspended sentence for stabbing her then-boyfriend with a bread knife during a drug and alcohol-fuelled frenzy.
The 24-year-old was described during her trial as an “extraordinarily able young lady” despite pleading guilty to unlawful wounding.
According to the Daily Mail, she is now in a relationship with 21-year-old businessman Philip Kagalovsky, son of Russian billionaire Konstantin Kagalovsky - who's worth £1.2billion.
The couple have been together for 14 months and live together in south west London, and are believed to run a printing card business.
Woodward has posted a number of pictures on Facebook documenting the pair’s relationship, which is thought to have begun last February - just one month after the student stabbed her previous boyfriend Thomas Fairclough.
Kagalovsky is a former pupil of the prestigious St Paul’s School in Barnes, West London.
His dad is the former vice-president of the oil company Yukos and the former Russian representative to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
He also claims to be the owner of Ukranian TV station TVi.
Kagalovsky Senior also owns properties across the globe, including in London, New York, Moscow and on the French Riviera.
He boasts of friendships with a number of other Russian oligarchs, including Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and the late Boris Berezovsky.
Woodward’s boyfriend’s mother, Natasha, is believed to be the head of the Bank of New York’s Eastern European division.
News of Woodward's relationship comes just a day after the student was denied permission to appeal her sentence.
The 24-year-old was spared jail in September, despite knifing Mr 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 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!”
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There is no suggestion that 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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