text: Former couple: Ann Malsbury (right) battered Lee Judson (left) with a saucepan and hair straighteners . An ex-girlfriend has avoided jail despite trying to strangle her former partner with an iPod cable. Ann Malsbury, 22, of Coventry, West Midlands, also battered  Lee Judson, 21, with a saucepan and hair straighteners after she flew into a rage. The chef’s ex-boyfriend had gone round to her home in the city to collect his belongings after the pair broke up following an 18-month relationship, Warwick Crown Court was told. But when Mr Judson bent down to pick up something, Malsbury jumped on his back and wrapped a white iPod lead around his neck before trying to throttle him. After he struggled free Malsbury then armed herself with a large carving knife and stabbed at him several times with the blade. Malsbury was arrested at the property in Coventry last November and charged with attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent to cause serious injury. On Friday she was cleared of that charge after her plea of guilty to an alternative offence of affray was accepted by the prosecution . Malsbury was given a community order with 18 months of supervision and was ordered to take part in a women’s emotional wellbeing course. Sentencing, Judge Sylvia de Bertodano told a tearful Malsbury: ‘You were obviously in a state of considerable distress and made threats towards him using, among other things, a knife. No jail: Malsbury (above) was charged with attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent to cause serious injury - but was cleared of this after her plea of guilty to an alternative offence of affray was accepted . ‘You fortunately did not injure him in any way, and I take that as a sign that you did not really intend to cause him any real injury. You stopped this of your own accord and called the police.’ Graeme Simpson, prosecuting, told the court Malsbury had been suffering from depression and was upset about the couple’s relationship coming to an end when she launched the attack. Attack: Malsbury (pictured) jabbed at her ex-partner four times - penetrating his clothing but not his skin . He said: ‘The defendant came in after him and had a wire lead which she flung over his neck from behind and tried to strangle him, but he managed to pull it away. ‘When he bent down to pick something up the defendant jumped on his back and put the iPod lead round his neck again, but he managed to get her off.’ The court heard as Mr Judson left the room she kicked him and then rushed downstairs ahead of him and into the kitchen where she armed herself with a big carving knife. She came out of the kitchen and stood in front of him, jabbing towards his arm and saying: ‘Do you want to live?’ Malsbury jabbed at her ex-partner four times - penetrating his clothing but not his skin - before getting a saucepan with which she tried to hit him over the head. She then picked up her hair straighteners and hit him with those before stopping and ‘clearly very distressed’ called the police herself. Mr Simpson added: ‘She had been suffering from depression and was very distressed about the relationship coming to an end. The call to the police could be considered a cry for help.’ William Douglas-Jones, defending, said Malsbury had initially been in custody for around three months before being granted bail. He added: ‘This is a desperately sad case. It involves a vulnerable young woman who has spent the equivalent of almost six months in prison. She faced the loss of her partner, who was her support. But no harm was caused other than some reddening to the neck.’
target: Lee Judson had gone to Ann Malsbury's home to collect his belongings .
  They had broken up after 18-month relationship, leaving her 'distressed'
  Malsbury jumped on his back and wrapped iPod cable around his neck .
  22-year-old chef from Coventry avoids jail but receives community order .