A HEAVILY pregnant expectant young mother has avoided an immediate custodial sentence after she stabbed her boyfriend with a knife during a heated argument.

Mica Cook, who is due to give birth to her baby in a few days, attacked her partner, the child’s father, after he grabbed her around the throat.

The 19-year-old defendant, of Warren Dale, Fairwater, Cwmbran, appeared before Newport Crown Court for sentence after she last month admitted wounding.

Gareth James, prosecuting, said that although the victim and Cook were now living apart, he was in court to support her.

He said it was the complainant’s sister who had contacted the police about the attack after he was knifed in the back.

Mr James said Cook had pleaded guilty on the basis that she had acted in “excessive self-defence”.

Judge Paul Thomas QC heard a row broke out after the defendant came home in a “bad mood”.

During their quarrel, the court was told, she became angry after he stopped her going into the bedroom where the complainant had been smoking.

Mr James said: “He pushed her, he grabbed her around the throat and used derogatory terms.”

Cook, who had no previous convictions, had then picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed him.

Before Marianne Lewis began to mitigate, the judge told her: “I am not going to impose an immediate custodial sentence, although it does cross the custody threshold.”

Her barrister said reconciliation between defendant and complainant had proven to be difficult because of the “stringent” bail conditions imposed by the court.

She said that any potential reunion would be “governed by social services”.

Judge Thomas told Cook: “Knives are inherently dangerous things. Whatever he did to you did not justify what you did that day.”

He added: “The victim seems to be on your side in these proceedings and I don’t think the court should interfere with what your plans are for the future.”

The judge jailed Cook for eight months, suspended for 12 months.

He ordered her to undertake a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement “to assist in controlling your temper" and pay a victim surcharge.