Jessica Lee Horne given suspended sentence after stabbing partner with fork

A Territory woman was ‘lucky’ she did not kill her partner after stabbing him in the chest with a fork, a court has heard.

A few inches of flesh was all that separated a Territory man from the grave, and his partner from years behind bars.

Jessica Lee Horne, 38, appeared in Darwin Local Court earlier this month after pleading guilty to recklessly endangering serious harm in Palmerston.

The court heard Horne and her partner were arguing when she stabbed him in the chest with a serving fork on July 9, 2020.

Judge Alan Woodcock said the “very nasty” assault left the man “inches from death”.

“You’re lucky you didn’t kill him,” Mr Woodcock said.

“You’re lucky you are not being delt with in the Supreme Court for manslaughter or murder.

“You can go to jail for double-figure years (for those offences) and come out institutionalised.”

Mr Woodcock said these types of assault were “almost always an argument in a domestic setting”.

“(She) stabbed her partner in a domestic dispute through the chest. It was inches from disaster no doubt,” he said.

Judge Alan Woodock said Ms Horne was “lucky”.

Horne sat quietly in the court as the horrors of the night were retold. Her partner’s arm draped around her back in support.

Mr Woodcock said his presence in the court was evidence she was still supported following the life-threatening assault.

“There he is, supportive and alive,” he said.

Mr Woodcock said Horne had also made significant progress to rehabilitate herself.

“Bad things have happened in her throughout her life that have affected her,” he said.

“There’s challenges that she has faced.

“Keep rehabilitating, keep looking after yourself.

“I trust things will go well for you.”

On Monday October 3, Mr Woodcock sentenced Horne to 18-months in prison, fully suspended.

She was also placed on an 18-month good behaviour bond and was required to pay a $150 victim’s levy.

Mr Woodcock warned Horne that while she would walk free, that long jail term still “hangs over your head”.

Horne whispered “thank you” to the judge before she left the court with her partner.