A CARE worker walked free from court yesterday after she admitted stabbing her “unfaithful”

husband through the lung with a steak knife.

Gordon Hume was left with two stab wounds and a punctured lung after his wife, Patricia, discovered a note he had sent to one of her colleagues.

Mrs Hume, 53, of Esk Road, Darlington, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent at Teesside Crown Court.

But she escaped a jail term when her recovering husband made a mercy plea.

The court heard that the attack was the culmination of the couple’s turbulent 30-year relationship.

Prosecuting, Peter Makepeace said the incident happened when Mrs Hume challenged her husband after drinking half a bottle of brandy.

He added: “She recalls getting up from the sofa, going up to the kitchen and getting a knife.

“She says she wanted to put a knife to the victim’s chest to frighten him, and to get him to stop having an affair.

“The next thing she recalls is cradling her husband on the ground. She claims to have no recollection of the stabbing.”

Police and ambulance crews rushed to the couple’s home following Mrs Hume’s 999 confession, made only moments after the attack.

Paramedics arrived to find Mrs Hume stemming the flow of blood from her husband’s wounds with cloth. She was arrested shortly afterwards.

Victoria Lamballe, mitigating, said Mrs Hume had been “bullied and belittled on regular occasions” in the marriage.

“Mrs Hume has had a long-standing belief that her husband had been unfaithful throughout their marriage,” she said.

“She appears to have been the victim on several occasions.”

Mr Makepeace said Mrs Hume’s allegation that her husband had “controlling and violent habits” was entirely denied by Mr Hume, as was the affair, although he did accept sending the note.

Passing sentence, Judge Peter Armstrong said: “The first wound was superficial, the second went into his lung.

Fortunately it missed his heart. Whatever rights or wrongs of this marriage, that sort of behaviour cannot be justified.”

Judge Armstrong suspended Mrs Hume’s 12-month jail sentence for two years. He ordered her to complete an alcohol treatment programme.

He said the “exceptional circumstances” of the case had worked in Mrs Hume’s favour.

He added: “Your husband’s plea for mercy seems admirable in the circumstances and it’s possible for this court to show some mercy.”