A WOMAN who stabbed her boyfriend to death after a violent row has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Candice Gill was found standing over the body of 33-year-old Matthew Wood as he lay bleeding to death on the kitchen floor of her Todmorden home, Bradford Crown Court was told.

She told officers she believed Mr Wood was punching her and may have been going for her throat, so she picked up a knife and "went for him."

He had been stabbed five times and knife had penetrated in excess of eight centimetres and death had been "almost instantaneous", the court heard.

Gill, 23, of Roomfield Street, yesterday pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of provocation.

Part of the sentence was also for a wounding offence after an attack on a neighbour in the flats where she lived.

Michelle Colborne, prosecuting, said Mr Wood had been in a relationship with Gill for three-and-a-half years.

She added: "It was a tempestuous relationship and alcohol featured heavily in their lives."

Violence also became a regular feature, she added, as well as their jealous possessiveness of each other and infidelity.

On the day of the stabbing, in September last year, Gill met her younger sister in the town centre and with Mr Wood they went to the Black Swan pub.

Drinking continued for another three-and-half hours but after they had moved to another pub, the White Hart, the atmosphere changed, the court heard.

Gill became aware Mr Wood was going to buy some cocaine and a dispute broke out, Miss Colborn said.

Gill her drink in his face and returned home without Mr Wood, the court heard.

Mr Wood, who was drunk, went back to Gill's flat, where there was a heated argument, the court heard.

Miss Colborne said neighbours heard screams from Gill and called the police.

But before officers arrived Gill's sister and her friend returned to find her hysterical, saying she had killed him.

Paul Fleming, for Gill, said "Alcohol played an extremely important and disruptive part in their lives.

Passing sentence, Judge Stephen Gullick said there had been "substantial provocation" leading up to the stabbing.