Woman jailed for stabbing partner after lightbulb row

Oct 27 2011 by Court Reporter, West Lothian Courier

A WOMAN stabbed her long-term partner in the back because he was taking too long to change a lightbulb, a court was told.

Janet Dunsmore, 58, and John Shaw had been drinking in Bathgate bars during the day on March 30 before returning to their Livingston home.

“At about 8pm the complainer was in the living room watching TV when the accused asked him to repair a broken lightbulb in the bathroom,” fiscal depute Lisa McCloy told Livingston Sheriff Court.

“The complainer made his way to the bathroom and stood on a small table in order to reach the light shade.

“He was standing with his back to the accused. He heard the accused ask ‘What is keeping you?’ and then felt a sharp pain in his back and realised that he had been stabbed by the accused.

“He saw and felt blood on his clothing.”

The court heard the victim felt dizzy and was sick before collapsing.

“The accused was extremely upset and worried and rang an ambulance from her mobile phone,” Ms McCloy added.

“She followed instructions given to her in terms of first aid using a towel to put pressure on the wound.

“She said to the complainer ‘John, I am sorry for what I have done.’”

The court heard the victim suffered a 1.5 inch stab wound to the left-hand side of the back but no surgery was required and no stitches were needed to close the wound.

Last week at the court Dunsmore, whose address was given as Glen Eagles Way, Livingston, pled guilty to stabbing her victim to his injury using a small vegetable knife.

Her solicitor, Darryl Lovie, told the court Dunsmore needed help with her alcohol abuse.

“It will come as little surprise to your Lordship to discover that my client had been drinking heavily during the course of March 30,” Mr Lovie added.

“It is abundantly clear that alcohol is a daily feature of my client’s life and it would appear that is mirrored in terms of Mr Shaw’s alcohol intake.

“My client has a vague recollection of the offence itself. She cannot provide me with a reason why she would act in the way she did.

“There is a possibility that she may have taken the wrong medication which she has proved to be a potent cocktail with the alcohol that she has consumed during the day.

“I fully accept that any offence which involves the use of a knife will be treated extremely seriously by the court.

“I appreciate that it’s my client’s good fortune and the complainer’s good fortune that the outcome was not more serious.

“The victim has been in a relationship with my client for 23 years.

“The relationship has been one with has featured violence both at the hands of Mr Shaw and Ms Dunsmore in the past but I fully understand the court must deal with her on the facts and circumstances of the case.

“The victim is in court and is fully supportive of her. If his wishes are to carry any weight he has expressed it is his stringent hope that Ms Dunsmore is allowed to maintain her liberty.”

However, Sheriff Grahame Fleming said he had no option but to jail Dunsmore.

Sentencing her to 13 months imprisonment Sheriff Fleming added: “Even if I was satisfied that it was appropriate, I don’t consider there is any real prospect of you being able to comply with supervision.

“Having regard to the nature of the offence I feel that no other sentence other than imprisonment is appropriate.

“Although you are unable to give any reason for stabbing Mr Shaw, drink clearly had a part to play.

“However, I am aware that the offence took place against a background of an abusive relationship, one Mr Shaw appears to have participated in.”