Woman jailed after stabbing model in face with screwdriver

Drunken Sharon Mather burst into Stacy Dolan's home, accusing the the mum-of-one of taking advantage of a mutual friend.

Mather then attacked Miss Dolan, stabbing her repeatedly with the screwdriver and leaving her with three wounds, including one just below her eye.

Bolton Crown Court heard how, although the injuries have now healed, a scar on 39-year-old Miss Dolan's face has now left her unable to do close-up modelling work.

Mather, aged 49, had denied committing grievous bodily harm but was convicted following a trial and sobbed as she was sentenced by Recorder Alexandra Simmonds via a video link to Styal prison.

The jury had heard how Mather had turned up at Miss Dolan's terraced house, where the victim's son lay asleep upstairs, in the early hours of July 13, 2019, in a drunken, angry state.

"Until that night the two of you had been friends but something had clearly changed and upset you," Recorder Simmonds told Mather.

"The state you were in meant you were not prepared to listen to her."

After stabbing her victim in the knee and arm Mather, who ended up on top of Miss Dolan after pushing her over the sofa, plunged the screwdriver into her face.

"It was that final injury that perhaps brought you to your senses as you then fled the property, realising what a terrible thing you had done," said Recorder Simmonds.

The court heard that Mather, of Poplar Street, Tyldesley, ended up at an elderly man's house where she confessed to committing the attack but ignored his advice to go to the police and only handed herself in two days later.

Mather has no previous convictions for violence and Paul Treble, defending, described the attack as being out of character.

"She appears to be talked of well, as being a kind, generous lady," he said.

He added that Mather suffers from mental health issues and alcoholism and, due to the stress of awaiting trial, turned to heroin.

Sentencing Mather, Miss Simmonds told her: "You continue to deny this offence. However it is clear you regret your decision to go round to Miss Dolan's house that night and I am prepared to accept your behaviour that evening was wholly out of character."

Speaking after the hearing, Miss Dolan said: "I'm not glad to see she has gone to prison but she got what she deserved. You can't get away with doing something like that."