A woman stabbed her lesbian ex-lover with a kitchen knife because she feared the army boxer was going to attack her.

Francine Reeder picked up the knife after her former partner Linda Waddell, who had represented the army at boxing, let herself into her home at night with a key she secretly had cut and confronted her in her bedroom, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

Miss Waddell, who was jealous of a previous relationship Reeder had with another woman, was said to be in an agitated state.

Fearing she was going to be attacked, Reeder grabbed the knife, injuring Miss Waddell causing superficial cuts to her arm.

Reeder, 31, of Foxhall Road, Ipswich admitted assaulting her ex-lover, causing her actual bodily harm in October last year.

Andrew Shaw, prosecuting, said Reeder and Miss Waddell had been in a relationship, which had resulted in the pair getting jealous.

On the night of the stabbing, Miss Waddell let herself into Reeder’s home and the court heard she was in agitated state.

Steven Dyble, for Reeder ,said Miss Waddell was of a much larger build than his client.

He described the couple’s relationship as “destructive” and said it had ended prior to the stabbing incident.

Mr Dyble said his client was asleep when her ex-lover let herself in.

He said Reeder, who has no previous convictions, had picked up the knife because she feared she was going to be attacked but accepted it had been a foolish thing to do.

“It was an act of excessive self defence in the face of considerable provocation,” said Mr Dyble.

He said Reeder had not deliberatley cut Miss Waddell and the injuries she received were not serious.

She was handed a six-month community order with six months supervision by the probation service. She was also ordered to attend a Women’s Emotional Wellbeing course and to pay costs of £800.