'She's wonderful when she's not drunk' boyfriend tells court as woman jailed for slashing his face after trivial argument
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A woman smashed a glass tumbler and slashed her boyfriend's face with it after a trivial argument, but he told a court 'she's wonderful when she's not drunk'.
Jessica Toledo, 29, has been jailed for three and a half years after the brutal attack which left Christopher Orchard with a lifelong visible scar .
Mr Orchard, bleeding from a 7cm gash to his cheek, had fled to the bathroom but drunken Toledo followed him, forced open the door and then wrenched the towel rail from the wall and hit him with it.
But despite the ordeal and his injuries, Mr Orchard has since described Toledo as 'wonderful' when she's not drunk and said she needs help.
He said the scar on his face doesn't bother him, Gloucestershire Live reports.
And the court heard he has remained on good terms with her and has visited her while she has been on remand in custody.
(Image: PA Archive)
At Gloucester Crown Court Toledo, of Stroud, Gloucestershire, pleaded guilty to wounding Mr Orchard with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm on April 1 this year.
Judge Michael Cullum jailed her for three-and-a-half years and told her she must accept she is an alcoholic and never drink again.
Kirsty Real, prosecuting, had told the court the couple had been in a relationship for three years at the time of the attack.
The couple had an argument over something trivial and Mr Orchard then heard a smashing sound coming from the living room of their flat and went to investigate, said Ms Real.
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
He found she had smashed a tumbler. She was being angry and confrontational with him and he told her she was pathetic.
He went into the kitchen and when he turned around she was right behind him.
Ms Real said: "She lunged at him and he felt a warm feeling on his face. She had the broken glass in her hand and it was the left side of his face that was bleeding.
"He got a tea towel and put it to his face. He dialled 999 and went to lock himself in the bathroom. The door is faulty and she forced it open. She ripped the towel rail from the wall and hit him on the head with it.
"On the advice of the 999 operator he left the flat. The police arrived and arrested her."
Toledo had made eight previous court appearances for earlier offences, the court heard.
In a victim impact statement Mr Orchard said Toledo is a wonderful woman when not drunk and he is not scared of her when she is sober.
Joe Maloney, defending, said: "The events of that night were fuelled by alcohol. They had been out for a meal and consumed alcohol and when they got home they polished off a bottle of spirits between them. For a woman with her difficulties that was unwise.
"She is truly sorry for what happened."
He said he believes Mr Orchard is still her boyfriend and he has visited her in prison pending sentence.
Judge Cullum told her: "You have to accept, admit and move on from the fact that you are an alcoholic. You can never drink again.
"It is drink that has brought you to prison today."
The attack on Mr Orchard, he said, had been 'determined and deliberate' and had left him with potential nerve damage and a lifelong visible scar.