A court in Northern Ireland has cleared a woman of wrongdoing after she stepped on her partner's genitals while fending off his attack, the Belfast Telegraph reported.
The incident happened on February 14, Valentine's Day. Stephen Thompson, 36, who was heavily intoxicated, attacked his partner with his fists and an empty beer can. The woman suffered multiple bruises and abrasions but at one point managed to turn the fight around, stepping on Thompson's genitals and causing him a serious injury. She then called police and gave him first aid.
Court finds self-defense, not revenge
The court ruled that her actions amounted to self-defense rather than an act of revenge, and all charges against her were dropped. Thompson, who has a criminal record, stood trial on charges of assault and domestic violence and was found guilty.
Suspended sentence and compensation
Despite the severity of the attack, the judge decided not to send Thompson to prison, instead giving him a suspended sentence and ordering him to pay compensation to the victim. The judge said that although the woman used retaliatory force, she did so in the heat of the moment while defending herself, and her actions were not premeditated.
Thompson must now pay his former partner several thousand pounds sterling for her injuries and emotional damage.
