It’s not often that women find themselves in court for violent offences.
The Office for National Statistics reported that last year perpetrators were most likely to be male in over three quarters of violent incidents.
However, female defendants are still rife, with many of the violent episodes they conduct happening behind closed doors.
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Our court reporters regularly cover cases where women appear, and they often turn out to be the most gruesome.
Cases include Courtney Thompson who glassed a woman on New Year’s Eve in a jealous rage.
Others include Petra Clyde, the woman who bit a police officer and Alice Orr who stabbed her ex-boyfriend.
Here, the Manchester Evening News has looked back on the shocking cases which have landed violent women in the dock.
Courtney Thompson
Jealous mum Courtney Thompson glassed another woman on New Year’s Eve causing her to lose her eye.
The 24-year-old attacked Jade Conway in a drunken rage after wrongly suspecting she was in a relationship with her boyfriend.
Ms Conway, who later found out she was pregnant at the time of the attack, subsequently lost her left eye and suffered permanent facial scarring.
Manchester Crown Court later heard that Ms Conway and Thompson’s partner were 'close friends' who were like 'brother and sister'.
Thompson, of Blackley , admitted a charge of actual bodily harm against Mr Latham, but denied a charge of grievous bodily harm with intent against Ms Conway.
She later changed her plea a week before a trial, which had been delayed due to the pandemic, was due to take place in April 2021.
Thompson, of Cecil Road, was jailed for seven years and seven months in June this year.
Natalie Lord
Natalie Lord, described by a judge as a ‘poisonous drunk’, viciously attacked her ex-partner.
She had previously attacked him in the past, and then again in September 2019.
Her victim suffered a 2cm laceration to his left temple and another head injury plus chest grazes, teeth marks on his chest and bruising to his hand.
Sentencing, Judge Hilary Manley told her: "This was a sustained attack and you have absolutely no excuse for committing it. You have a history of becoming violent in drink and you know alcohol is a poison for you.
"In September 2019 while subject to a suspended sentence order, you chose to drink again with predictable results.
"You attacked your ex-partner, a man who you had wounded in 2016 with a knife.
"You are a poisonous drunk, and you chose to be around him again.
"You have caused very nasty injuries to his head, face and arms.
"I am pleased to hear that you have been sober for six months while in custody and that you are determined to sort your life out.
Lord, of Irlam Square in Salford, was jailed for 27 months at Manchester Crown Court in August this year after admitting grievous bodily harm.
Petra Clyde
‘Crazed mum’ Petra Clyde sunk her teeth into the forearm of a police officer as onlookers 'screamed and cheered as if they were at a football match'.
On August 22 last year, Clyde, 41, sunk her teeth into the officer during a struggle as she tried to detain her for assaulting another woman.
Onlookers began 'screaming and cheering as if at a football match', a court heard.
A shocked passer-by eventually stepped in and held down Clyde's legs while the officer broke free.
The PC was later treated for a 'human bite wound'.
She had to have a hepatitis and tetanus jab. The cop said she'd never been so frightened in her 13 years with Greater Manchester Police.
Clyde later accused the officer of attacking her sister.
She admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm; and resisting arrest.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, mum-of-one Clyde, of Huddersfield Road, Stalybridge , Tameside was jailed for two years in February this year.
She was also issued with a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order.
Alice Orr
21-year-old Alice Orr was in a volatile relationship with her partner for five years.
The police were regularly called to their home.
However, in May this year, they came to blows.
As her boyfriend, 23-year-old Charlie Stewart stood in the kitchen cooking a late night meal, Orr took a knife and stabbed him in the back.
He was taken to hospital where it was found he suffered a wound to his lower back and received three stitches.
She had drunk two bottles of white wine before the attack.
Police found Orr asleep in bed in a drunken state when they arrived to arrest her.
When asked what had happened, she told officers: "I honestly can’t remember, I do not recall arguing or even going to bed."
At Minshull Street Crown Court , Orr admitted unlawful wounding and was jailed for 15 months.
Orr was also banned from contacting Mr Stewart for five years under the terms of a restraining order.
Marie-Claire Rice
Marie-Claire Rice attacked her own stepbrother in an act of revenge.
She had called 999 to claim that she and her dad had been assaulted by Christopher Astley just weeks earlier.
But when the police failed to arrest, she took matters into her own hands.
She and her boyfriend, Frantisek Banda, turned up outside Astley’s home in Bolton armed with hammers.
During a phone call with police, Banda was recorded saying: "I have got a f***ing hammer and I'm smashing him with it. I'm going to kill him."
A commotion then took place, with Rice hitting Astley over the head with the hammer ‘multiple times’.
Astley was found with a head injury, which required three stitches.
Police attended the scene and arrested all three.
Rice, of South Street, admitted affray and was handed a 12-month sentence suspended for two years.
In addition, she must each carry out 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirements and 150 hours of unpaid work.
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