A Dublin mother of two has been jailed for three years for an assault in which she stabbed a man in the stomach with a mini steak knife.
Natasha Gleeson (38) attacked John Redmond, then aged 37, during a verbal row between two women, including the victim's girlfriend.
Mr Redmond suffered a 5cm stab wound which caused his small bowel to protrude and caused tears in his colon.
Gleeson, of Corduff Crescent, Blanchardstown, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm at Aston Quay in Dublin city centre on July 19th, 2013.
Judge Martin Nolan said that Mr Redmond could have died. "When you stick a knife into somebody's body with that degree of force, as people say, bad things happen."
He said the appropriate sentence was four to five years but he was taking her guilty pleas and expressions of remorse as mitigating factors in her favour.
Conor McKenna, defending, said his client had no history of violence before the attack. Since then she has been convicted for a number of assaults. Her 10 previous convictions also include theft, property damage and threatening behaviour.