Girl, 19, escapes jail after Matlock stabbing

Nicole Ryder smashed a vodka bottle over the head of her victim, Michael Smalley, before stabbing him twice in the shoulder with a kitchen knife at his home in Linden Grove, Matlock, on April 24.

The 19–year–old, formerly of Matlock but currently living at Fairfield Road, Chesterfield, was arrested and pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm.

Speaking in Derby Crown Court on Friday, prosecutor Sarah Slater explained that Ryder’s boyfriend has a child with Mr Smalley’s partner, and the four adults had met at the house in Linden Grove to discuss access to the child.

“She entered there at 7pm and had taken 12 cans of lager,” Miss Slater added.

“They were all drinking and all getting on.”

Later on in the evening a bottle of vodka was consumed.

At about 11.30pm, Mr Smalley suggested they end the evening as they had two children asleep upstairs who would be up early in the morning, at which point an argument broke out.

“During that he’s hit over the head with a vodka bottle,” Miss Slater said.

“He wasn’t aware he had been injured. He says he then shoved or pushed the defendant out of the kitchen.

“Instead of leaving she picked up a knife from the draining board and she started slashing and lunging with it.”

The police and ambulance service were called and Mr Smalley was taken to Chesterfield Royal Hospital with two stab wounds to his shoulder and several lacerations.

Sonal Ahya, defending, said Ryder had acted in the manner that she had because she had been afraid for the safety of Mr Smalley’s partner .

Miss Ahya explained that Ryder had lead a relatively normal life up until the age of 13 years old, without any contact with her father.

She added: “He resurfaced in her life when she was about 13.

“She was introduced to drugs and generally introduced into what could only be described as a chaotic lifestyle.”

Miss Ahya said Ryder became rebellious at school and committed a number of offences, some of which included violence.

She added that Ryder was at one point taken into care, before going back to live with her mother.

She said in recent years, the teenager had started to rebuild her life.

Miss Ahya said Ryder had accepted that what she did was wrong.

Judge Stuart Rafferty QC commented: “Whatever it was that happened must have happened spontaneously.

“This is not a cause where you when to that house looking for trouble.

“It’s not a case where you went armed with a weapon.”

Ryder was given a two year prison sentence suspended for two years, she was also ordered to take a female violence one–to–one programme and be supervised for two years.

Judge Rafferty added: “You should be grateful to the man that you injured. It’s your acknowledgement of your responsibility that means the most to him.”