Prosecutors dropped a charge of wounding against a woman accused of stabbing her ex-partner ‘at least six times’ – including in the buttocks.
Shannon Alderman was said to have dealt the half-a-dozen knife wounds as her former boyfriend Kieron White pinned her down on the sofa at her home in Banbury in the early hours of March 10 this year.
He was stabbed twice in the buttocks, once in the chest and received a number of other wounds, a court has previously heard.
Mum-of-one Alderman, 20, of Padbury Drive, Banbury, pleaded not guilty in May to wounding with intent and a trial fixed for February 13 next year. She had initially been charged and remanded to the magistrates’ court on a single count of attempted murder.
However, on Thursday morning, prosecutor Michael Roques told Oxford Crown Court: “We are listed today, the case having been reviewed by those who instruct me [the Crown Prosecution Service] and the decision having been made there is no realistic prospect of conviction in relation to count one, the prosecution have taken a view we can’t disprove self-defence and so in those circumstances I formally offer no evidence in relation to count one on this indictment.”
That meant the young woman had to be sentenced for another count, which she had admitted, of possession of a single wrap of cocaine. The class A drugs were found in her possession when she was arrested for the stabbing in March.
Her counsel, Gordana Austin, said: “She explained she was out with a friend, they were both drinking and her friend then said she was going to use some cocaine.
“Ms Alderman, who is a young mother, isn’t a drug user and asked her not to use it. There was a bit of an argument between them and Ms Alderman took it.”
Mr Roques, for the Crown, replied: “We don’t accept that for a moment and if she was going to return the drugs to her friend she’d be guilty of possession with intent to supply.”
Ms Austin clarified that her client had not planned to return the drugs to her chum. Alderman was a trained nursery nurse but had had to give up that line of work as a result of the criminal case against her.
“As a result of these proceedings, her life has been significantly uprooted,” the barrister added.
Judge Nigel Daly imposed a conditional discharge for the cocaine possession, meaning that she will not be punished for the offence unless she gets into trouble in the next 12 months. The conviction will be ‘spent’ – meaning it will come off her criminal record – a year from the day it was imposed.
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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.
To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk
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