Woman who split husband’s head open is jailed

Amy Tate had pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court in October last year to assaulting Ian Marklew causing him actual bodily harm.

And while on bail for pre-sentence and psychiatric reports to be prepared on her, she carried out two more attacks.

Tate, 27, of Stanton Walk, Warwick, pleaded guilty at the court to two charges of maliciously wounding Mr Marklew and was jailed for a total of four years.

Gareth Walters, prosecuting, said: “These are three incidents of domestic violence involving the defendant using weapons while drunk.”

Tate’s violence towards Mr Marklew first came to the attention of the police in May last year when she was given a caution for an offence of affray after they became involved in a fight during which they both received injuries.

Although neither made a complaint, when the police arrived Tate had picked up a knife, and the officers had to use CS gas on her after she refused to drop it when told to do so.

By June the couple had been living together at Tate’s flat for just over six months. On June 15, the two went out drinking with a friend. Afterwards when they returned to the flat, Tate picked up an ashtray and hurled it at her partner, but missed and it shattered against the wall, after which she went to the kitchen and returned with a carving knife.

She struck Mr Marklew three times to his leg with the knife, causing minor injuries before Mr Hoyles managed to grab her hand and she dropped the knife.

Tate was arrested and granted bail and, despite his concerns, Mr Marklew continued living with her.

Then on Christmas Eve he needed treatment for injuries which he reported had been caused when he was attacked as he was walking home along the canal towpath. It only emerged later that what had actually happened was that Tate bit him on the nose and then walked into the kitchen and began throwing things around, including the food he had prepared, picked up a knife and stabbed him to his shoulder, arm and side. Despite that, Mr Marklew still stayed with her, and on January 11, she hit him from behind with an unknown object, causing a 12cm wound which required stitches.

Mr Walters said Tate had convictions for violence, and in 2001 was jailed for five years detention for wounding with intent, robberies and false imprisonment, all against the same young woman.

Judge Marten Coates described her as ‘a dangerous lady,’ and said she was lucky not to have been facing charges of wounding with intent and a possible indeterminate sentence.

Nick Devine, defending, said: “Right now when she’s sober she understands all that. In the cold light of day she is remorseful for what she’s done. The problem is her long-term alcohol dependency.”

Judge Coates told Tate: “If I had the power to pass what you would call a life sentence on you, one without a known finish date, I might well be doing that because you are a danger to anyone you have an argument with when in drink.

“Your propensity to use knives makes you a very dangerous person and I am dealing with you for three attacks on your boyfriend, the thirst of which resulted in a nasty injury to his head.”