Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Spared jail?

66 replies

WeLoveTheMoon · 17/05/2017 14:58

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/16/oxford-student-spared-jail-extraordinary-talent/amp/

Having a debate with dp about this. Can I ask your opinions on if this is harsh enough or not

OP posts:
Justbreathing · 17/05/2017 16:09

karen mathews might just well be one of the worst examples to illustrate your argumentShock Confused

elephantscansing · 17/05/2017 16:11

The judge also said:

'Woodward had had a “very troubled life” and had been abused by another former partner, Mr Sturman said, adding that her crime had resulted from her addiction.'

Kimonolady · 17/05/2017 16:11

This post, from a criminal barrister, explains how the case fits in with sentencing guidelines, whether it was appropriate, etc. Would definitely recommend taking a look:
thesecretbarrister.com/2017/05/16/an-oxford-medical-student-stabbed-her-boyfriend-with-a-bread-knife-so-why-is-she-not-going-to-prison/

A previous thread on this topic disappeared because people started making wild speculation and naming people they thought might be involved in the case. As long as we don't do that, we will be ok.

elephantscansing · 17/05/2017 16:17

According to her FB, she started studying at Oxford in 2011, so something has gone drastically wrong unless she's doing a postgrad degree...

ShieldMaidenMamma · 17/05/2017 16:18

Oh gods... The mra nutnuts are going to love this

Justbreathing · 17/05/2017 16:25

just after a quick google. if I tried harder I guess I could find more examples.
I imagine the press love this story, because she is pretty and posh and they love a pretty girl/violence story.
Very voyeuristic
no one gives a shit if a man does it, in the main

Kimonolady · 17/05/2017 16:27

elephant - medicine is a 6 year degree at Oxford, she took a year out for the "health problems" mentioned in the court reports.
Don't think anything is drastically wrong...?

taratill · 17/05/2017 16:29

Just Breathing I don't think it is anything to do with the fact she's a woman it is that she is an Oxbridge medical student (who happens to be a woman).

Your article is local press not national press.

No one knows how many men and women receive similar sentences for similar offences because they are not reported because they are not considered to be newsworthy. It is this woman's status that makes this newsworthy.

She has to live with that whatever she chooses to do with the rest of her life.

Justbreathing · 17/05/2017 16:32

perhaps it isn't to do with that shes a woman, but are you really telling me the media don't love a story like this with a pretty medical student with nice photo's

and the reason I picked a local story, was to precisely demonstrate my argument! that it's not considered as interesting.

iklboo · 17/05/2017 16:35

The GMC don't regulate medical students (yet) only qualified doctors. But she'll have to declare any convictions when she applies to be registered.

taratill · 17/05/2017 16:35

Just breathing you may be right but you do get similar stories with male undergradutes from prestigious universities and private schools and drugs etc.
No reporting of similar at state schools.

This is why I think it is more class than sex.

Justbreathing · 17/05/2017 16:41

Yeah I see your point.
All I can imagine is that some 22 year old sitting in the daily mail office trawling the internet found this non story and thought, this will get everyone arguing! it'll make a great story!
A friend of mine works at an un-named paper and all they do all day is trawl the internet and watch jeremey kyle looking for these types of stories, they say the editors think pretty girls/violence is a top seller so they like that type of story.
pretty depressing! I'm sure they wanted to be a proper journalist

elephantscansing · 17/05/2017 16:42

Thanks, kimono - I didn't realise that. 6 years!

AyeAmarok · 17/05/2017 16:44

A man probably wouldn't have got jail either.

Good to see the justice system (not) working for victims of both sexes. Hmm

Styturnip · 17/05/2017 16:57

As usual the media stirring. I bet we don't know the half of the real story.

Stitchfusion · 17/05/2017 16:58

This had me fuming.
So much so, that it silenced me.

Howlandbreathe · 17/05/2017 17:03

It would fill me with confidence if she were my doctor and that possibly she had my life in her hands one day...

taratill · 17/05/2017 17:07

Howlandbreathe why would it affect her ability at being doctor? From what I read she is amazingly intelligent one of the top in her year at Oxbridge and specialises in cardiology and has had papers published.

A seemingly one off issue with a boyfriend (which went horribly wrong) does not impact on her ability to do that job.

I hope the GMC doesn't hold it against her when it comes to applying. We need good doctors.

SomuchSlow · 17/05/2017 17:09

"A seemingly one off issue with a boyfriend (which went horribly wrong) does not impact on her ability to do that job. "

What happens when she has a one off issue with a patient? Do they get stabbed too?

taratill · 17/05/2017 17:11

If the judge thought there was any possibility of reoffending then they would not be considering a sparing her from jail.

You are making massive assumptions.

Are you saying no one is capable of making a mistake that they regret and then getting on with their lives?

taratill · 17/05/2017 17:12

It is also reported that alcohol was part of the problem at the time of the incident.

She won't be drunk at work.

SomuchSlow · 17/05/2017 17:13

"Are you saying no one is capable of making a mistake that they regret and then getting on with their lives?"

This isn't one mistake. this is a stabbing, throwing a laptop at him, throwing a mug at him, and, repeated drug issues.

teabagpleb · 17/05/2017 17:19

Non-story. Only news because it's Oxford and a pretty blonde woman.

A friend of mine attacked people with a knife in a busy hospital. He was having hallucinations at the time. A year later, having finally received treatment for the mental illness he'd been self-medicating with various mainly-illegal drugs for years, he was accepted onto a postgrad medical conversion degree, and the view was taken that he'd be a better doctor for it.

He had to get a consultant to sign off every 6 months to say he was still fit to study and then practice medicine, but the convictions for assault weren't a problem.

taratill · 17/05/2017 17:20

which is probably why she will struggle to practice.

Especially with all of the publicity.

No one knows the background to this incident but whatever it is she is young and intelligent. If she can prove she is drug free I personally see no reason why she shouldn't be allowed to practice.

Wasted talent otherwise and if the judge thinks that she should not be punished with a custodial sentence (in part because of the impact it could have on her career) why on earth should society think she is not capable of doing so.

To assume she would attack a patient is frankly ridiculous and narrow minded.