A woman who threatened her partner with a bread knife after accusing him of cheating has been given a restraining order.

Janet Roe, aged 49, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Weymouth Magistrates Court to assaulting Christopher Fleetwood.

Lee Turner, prosecuting, said the incident happened at 10pm on Saturday, September 1 at the Toll House in Charminster.

The court heard Roe was drunk when she returned to a caravan where she had been staying with Mr Fleetwood.

She started being abusive and accused him of sleeping with another woman, so he left the caravan.

When he returned, Roe continued to act abusively towards him.

She then grabbed him and pushed him onto the bed, before grabbing a 20cm bread knife.

Magistrates were told Roe said through clenched teeth: “Come on then.”

Mr Fleetwood managed to use the momentum of the bed to bounce back to his feet before batting her arms away, which made her drop the knife.

He then fled the caravan.

Roe was arrested and later told police officers in interview she intended to stab the table and not Mr Fleetwood.

She said she only wanted to scare him.

Mr Turner explained how it has been hard for Mr Fleetwood who ‘loves the defendant.’

He says when she is sober she is a ‘gem’ but when she drinks she ‘frightens him’ and that he ‘fears for his safety.’

Simon Lacey, mitigating, said: “Mr Fleetwood and the defendant had been together for two years.

“She was effectively homeless and had been sofa surfing. He has been her rock.

“She said she would never use the knife on him, but I think the relationship was at the point of breaking up. She had been drinking and when he came back, there was an argument and she accepts it was her fault.”

Mr Lacey added: “She’s in the wrong.

“She’s very upset for the problems she has caused Mr Fleetwood.

“She still feels for him.”

He added that she has a history of drinking problems.

Roe was given a community order and a restraining order, both to run for 12 months.

District Judge Stephen Nicholls told the defendant: “If you fail to comply or breach the order then you will be back before the court.”

Roe was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £85.