A YOUNG woman carried out a stabbing during a drinking session, because a friend had ended up covered in blood.

Courtney Cotton's lawyer insisted to a court that she had grabbed hold of a potato knife in a bid to break up a fight. When that didn't work she tried to threaten Bradley Duke, but ended up stabbing him in the stomach.

Her actions caused a puncture wound, with a 2cm diameter.

He spent seventy two hours in hospital under observation.

Preston Crown Court also heard that after being arrested she said: "Bail me and I'll stab him again. I'll kill him next time".

The 21-year-old of New Wellington Street, Blackburn pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful wounding, the offence taking place on April 16.

Mr Duke and a number of friends lived in and around the Salvation Army hostel in Blackburn.

The incident occured at the home of a female friend in Sumner Street.

Cotton was also a friend of that female. On the date of the offence there had been drinking at the address, the court heard.

The defendant, who was a regular visitor to the home, was also there.

At one point Mr Duke and a man had a verbal argument over some cannabis. It turned into a physical one and the other man ended up knocked unconscious on the hallway floor, said Miss Emma Kehoe, prosecuting.

Cotton, a friend of the injured man, went into the hallway and said she was going to stab Mr Duke. She then went into the kitchen, took a potato knife from the cupboard and stabbed him in a jerking movement.

Mr Darren Lee-Smith, defending, said the offence had been completely out of character and Cotton had no previous convictions.

Cotton had suffered trauma in the past, which led to depression and alcohol and drug use. Her move to the Salvation Army hostel had put her amongst negative people and a downward spiral occured in her behaviour.

Mr Lee-Smith told the court: "She maintains her involvement in this initially was to stop the situation escalting. She was trying to diffuse it.

"She went to get the knife, to make a threat, to stop the parties fighting. She has a great deal of remorse for what happened".

Judge Michael Byrne gave her a 12 month jail term.