A WIFE allegedly abused for years by her husband stabbed him with a meat cleaver in self defence, a court heard.

A judge at Bolton Crown Court heard how NHS worker Ann-Marie Gee had been married to Harry Gee for 35 years.

But at 11pm on November 7 last year he called the emergency services to say he had been injured with a meat cleaver at their home in Seddon Lane, Stoneclough.

Police arrived to find Mr Gee outside the house bleeding heavily from a wound to his abdomen and with injuries to his wrist and head.

Andrew Evans, prosecuting, said that when officers went into the kitchen they found a blood covered meat cleaver and wine bottle in the sink and attempts had been made to clean the floor.

Ann-Marie Gee, aged 58, was discovered sitting on a bed in the bedroom.

Mr Evans said she was crying and also had injuries, including swollen and bruised hands and head and marks on her neck.

Gee claimed her husband had hit her after he had returned home from the pub, grabbing her round the throat.

“She said she couldn’t take it any more and had to defend herself,” said Mr Evans.

Mr Gee, who subsequently refused to assist police and the prosecution, claimed he had been trying to stop his wife getting another bottle of wine when she had attacked him with the cleaver.

Treatment for Mr Gee’s injuries involved seven stitches to a wound in his abdomen and five more to a gash on his forearm whilst a cut on his head was glued. Gee, now of Langworthy Avenue, Little Hulton, pleaded guilty to wounding her husband, admitting her actions had gone beyond self-defence.

Martin Pizzey, defending, stressed that Gee did not accept she had a dependency on alcohol and has now stopped drinking altogether.

He added that she has not had contact with her husband since the incident.

“She has not given up entirely on the possibility of reconciliation but she is aware of the risks,” said Mr Pizzey.

Gee wiped away tears in the dock as Judge Timothy Stead said: “It appears that she had been subject to long term abuse or long term provocation.”

“I take the view that she is a person of good character.”

He sentenced Gee to a community order for 12 months, with the condition that she participates in 50 days of rehabilitation activities.

Judge Stead told Gee: “The complainant, Mr Gee, on the occasion which gives rise to your offending, not for the first time was violent against you and you suffered injury in the incident in question.

“Your reaction was a case of unreasonable and excessive self-defence.”

And he warned her: “It would be wise to proceed slowly before making contact with Mr Gee if, indeed, you do at all.”