Prison for Derbyshire man who slashed partner’s neck and thigh with Stanley knife while she lay in bed

Leon Cooper was behaving “sketchily” and kept turning the bedroom light on and off “to get a reaction” from his partner on the morning of November 5 last year, Nottingham Crown Court was told.

He came into bedroom while holding the knife and pulled off the quilt before slashing her thigh and trying to climb on top of her.

She cried out, “Not my face,” as he cut the left side of neck from ear to chin alone the jawline.

She managed to push him off and ran into a friend's bedroom, covered in blood, shouting: “He's cut me,” before escaping from the flat.

Cooper, aged 27, of Warwick Road, Somercotes, asked where she had gone and said, “She did it to herself." The six and 15 centimeter lacerations are “likely to leave an element of scarring.”

Cooper was arrested at his mum's house and initially claimed his partner of three years caused the injuries.

A trial date was set but his victim couldn’t attend because she suffered a severe mental health crisis and was admitted to Highbury Hospital.

Cooper eventually admitted wounding with intent in April.

The court heard he has 15 previous convictions for 22 offences, and has been locked up for violent crimes on four occasions in 2015, 2019 and 2020.

This offence was committed a month after he received a ten week suspended sentence for assaulting an emergency worker.

Stephen Cobley, mitigating, said: “He had a difficult childhood and was homeless for a time. Although he didn't complete his education he did manage to hold down construction jobs for a time.

“He has spent a good deal of his life in custody. He has failed to cooperate with the probation service or meetings with psychiatrists.”

Classing him as “dangerous” on Thursday, Judge Steven Coupland said: “I am satisfied he does present a risk to the public. Court orders seem to provide no deterrent.”

He imposed an extended five-year sentence and activated the suspended sentence. Cooper will serve at least two thirds in prison before a parole board decides if it’s safe to release him.