Woman who knifed man when she found him with love rival avoids jail

Jealous woman, 23, who knifed man in head when she found him in bed with love rival at party – moments after he rejected her – avoids jail as judge rules she suffered psychotic episode

• A woman who stabbed man after she found him with a love rival has avoided jail
• The judge ruled Alisha Oakley, 23, had been suffering from a psychotic episode  
• Knife missed Reece Tyler’s brain by two centimetres in the attack in Dover, Kent

A jealous woman who stabbed a man in the head after she found him having sex with a love rival at a party just moments after he rejected her has avoided jail.

Alisha Oakley, 23, walked free from court after a judge ruled that she was suffering from a psychotic episode when she knifed Reece Tyler in the back of the head.

The blade missed his brain by two centimetres, moments after he refused to kiss her at a party at a flat in Dover, Kent.

Oakley, Mr Tyler and some mutual friends had been drinking vodka at the party in October 2018 when she tried to kiss him.

Alisha Oakley, 23, (pictured) walked free from court after a judge ruled that she was suffering from a psychotic episode when she knifed Reece Tyler in the back of the head

Oakley’s blade missed Mr Tyler’s brain by two centimetres, moments after he refused to kiss her at a party at a flat in Dover, Kent. Pictured: Alisha Oakley

When Mr Tyler rejected her and ended up sleeping with another woman in a nearby room, Oakley rushed in and delivered the blow with a knife to the back of his head.

Mr Tyler was rushed to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent, and treated with surgical glue for a wound to his scalp.

At Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday, Oakley was given a two-year jail sentence but suspended for 18 months after pleading guilty to wounding with intent.

She must also do six months of drug rehabilitation. There was no compensation for the victim as she has no way to pay – although she does have a £140 surcharge bill.

After the hearing Mr Tyler branded the courts ‘too lenient’ on Oakley for not sending her to prison.

In a statement to the court, Mr Tyler told how the attack has affected his life.

He said: ‘All that happened is that I rejected her and [I worry] if I reject another girl I could be stabbed.

As well as an 18-month suspended sentence Oakley must also do six months of drug rehabilitation

‘I’m lucky to be alive, the assault could have left me with brain damage or, at worse, I could have died.

‘I walk past girls in the street and I’m worried about what they would do – I have lost my faith in people.

‘This assault has affected me as I can’t trust another girl again.’

Mr Tyler said he suffers from dizziness which affects his work and prevents him from playing with his daughter.

The court heard psychiatric evidence that Oakley has been diagnosed with emotional instability disorder since the night of the attack and that at the time she was suffering from a psychotic episode.

Her barrister, Anna Chestnut, said Oakley has not reoffended since the night of the party, when she was only 19, and is now being treated with antipsychotic medicine.

She also said that probation reports deemed her to be at low risk of reoffending but at a medium risk to future partners.

She continued: ‘It would be a highly exceptional case to depart from your sentencing guidelines but I do urge Your Honour to do that.’

Ms Chestnut also highlighted the court delays, Oakley’s previously clean criminal record, her mental health issues and a supportive family network as mitigating features.

Recorder Stuart Trimmer QC said he had given a lot of thought to Oakley’s mental health condition which he said was ‘linked to the commission of the offence’.

At Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday, Oakley was given a two-year jail sentence but suspended for 18 months after pleading guilty to wounding with intent. Pictured: A general view of Canterbury Crown Court, Kent

Mr Tyler was rushed to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent, and treated with surgical glue for a wound to his scalp

He added: ‘I’m prepared in the very unusual circumstances in this case, as the starting point of one which permits me to suspend the sentence, which is what I’m going to do.’

Oakley, who now lives in Darwen, Lancashire, was supported by her family in the public gallery.

She told Judge Trimmer: ‘Thank you, Your Honour.’

Speaking after hearing, Mr Tyler said: ‘I’m lucky to be here, it is a crazy thing that has happened to me.

‘In this case, the punishment doesn’t feel firm enough, it doesn’t feel like justice has been served.

‘The trauma has caused me a lot of anxiety around women, it has affected my relationship with my daughter because I can’t play with her like I used to and it has affected my work.

‘I believe the courts have been too lenient.’

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