It wasn’t the first time that Lwyanna Thomas had stabbed a man after a drinking session
Source: Walesonline.co.uk.
UK – WALES – A woman who told a court that she “was not a dominatrix” invited a man back to her flat for a night of drinking and then stabbed him as she was giving him a massage. Lwyanna Thomas, 47, went to a local shop to buy alcohol with James Hollingworth on the evening of September 14 last year, a court heard.
When they got back to her home they drank and listened to music. She then asked if he wanted a massage. He agreed and took off his shirt and Thomas began to massage his back. While he was lying down she stabbed him in the shoulder with a vegetable knife.
The victim did not immediately realise what had happened but he had suffered a penetrative wound of a few centimetres and ended up in hospital for five hours. Thomas denied a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and pleaded not guilty at a trial, claiming that she acted in self-defence. However a jury did not believe her version of events and she was found guilty.
At a sentencing hearing held at Swansea Crown Court on Friday Thomas, of Llys-Y-Llyfrgell Burry Port, appeared via videolink from custody and read a letter she had written to the judge. A tearful Thomas said: “I have made many mistakes in my life which I have always taken on board, learning the rights and the wrongs. I have always abided the law to the best of my ability. As a person and as a mother I have believed it’s my duty to be responsible and to be the best mother I can.
“On September 14 I made a life-changing decision. I also made a devastating error of judgement and found myself in a distressing situation where I felt humiliated and powerless. Due to my actions a person was injured and was in need of serious help. I did not intend on hurting James but I did and if there was a way of turning back time I would. I don’t want to justify my actions. I am not a dominatrix. I have a heavy heart and I am truly sorry. All because of alcohol I was foolish. I would like to apologise to you, Your Honour, the court, to James, and to my family. This is the biggest mistake of my life.”
On behalf of Thomas defence barrister Colin McCarraher said it was a “spontaneous offence”. He asked the judge to “give some understanding to a middle-aged woman who has some real problems on her hands”, arguing that she was not a risk to the public. However Recorder Simon Hughes took into account a previous incident where Thomas had stabbed another man with a small knife after drinking with him in a pub.
He said: “This offence is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence is justified.” Recorder Hughes sentenced Thomas to a term of six years in prison with an extended licence period of two years making a total sentence of eight years. She will have to serve at least two-thirds of the custodial sentence before being considered for release on licence.
