Mother is jailed for stabbing pal in eye

A woman from Ludlow who stabbed a man in the eye during a row has this afternoon been jailed for nine years.

Sharon Hughes, 38 of Sandpits Avenue, attacked Shane Weir with a kitchen knife during the argument on October 29, 2010. Mr Weir had confronted Hughes and her 18-year-old daughter Stacey Mills believing they were responsible for ransacking his girlfriend Nadia Tehran's home, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.

Mr Weir has suffered blurred vision ever since the attack and has been told his eye has been permanently damaged.

Hughes had previously denied a charge of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm but was convicted by a jury at a trial last month.

She was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court today. Her daughter was cleared of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding at last month's trial. She had denied both charges.

Judge Robin Onions said the knife had avoided Mr Weir's eyeball but had partially severed part of the optic nerve. The court was told Hughes had produced the knife which had been concealed in her clothing before attacking Mr Weir. He said: "Based on what was said at the trial I can only think you (Hughes) took the knife and stabbed Mr Weir deliberately in the eye."

Judge Onions added he believed Hughes had acted under provocation. But he said her attempts to explain the incident at the trial had 'not been credible'. He added all three involved had been drinking before the incident took place.

Miss Jane Sarginson, for Hughes, said: "She (Hughes) is horrified at the injury and the effects of what she has done – she is horrified she inflicted such an injury on such a close friend."

Judge Onions also renewed calls for a report into the handling of the case by the police, which he described as 'inefficient'.

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