A Colchester woman who stabbed her former partner with a kitchen knife has been warned she could be jailed when she is sentenced next month.

Before Ipswich Crown Court today was Natasha Gardener, 36, of Brooklands, Colchester, who pleaded not guilty to wounding David Lyddon on December 20 last year with intent to do him grievous bodily harm and an offence of assault by beating.

A jury was empanelled on Monday and Gardener’s trial was due to have started today.

However, she pleaded guilty to a less serious charge of unlawfully wounding Mr Lyddon which was accepted by the prosecution. She also pleaded guilty to the assault charge.

Judge Rupert Overbury adjourned the case until November 19 for a pre-sentence report and for medical reports to be obtained on Gardner.

He described the attack on Mr Lyddon as “extremely serious” and told Gardener that although she would have served the equivalent of a 17 month jail term by the time she is sentenced she might need to spend longer in prison.

However, he would consider all the reports on her before coming to a final decision.