A woman named Alisha Oakley (23) walked free from court after a judge ruled that she was suffering from a psychotic episode when she knifed a man named Reece Tyler in the back of the head.
Oakley, Mr Tyler and some mutual friends had been drinking vodka at the party in October 2018 when she tried to kiss him. When Mr Tyler rejected her and ended up sleeping with another woman in a nearby room, Oakley stabbed Tyler with a knife to the back of his head.

Mr Tyler was then rushed to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent, and treated with surgical glue for a wound to his scalp. Fortunately, the knife missed Tyler’s brain by 2 centimetres.

The Canterbury Crown Court gave Oakley a two-year jail sentence but suspended for 18 months after pleading guilty to wounding with intent.

“She must also do six months of drug rehabilitation” remarked the court. Whereas, there was no compensation for the victim as she has no way to pay – although she does have a £140 surcharge bill.

After the court hearing, Mr Tyler said that the court was ‘too lenient’ on Oakley for not sending her to prison.

He said, “All that happened is that I rejected her and I worry if I reject another girl I could be stabbed. I’m lucky to be alive, the assault could have left me with brain damage or, at worse, I could have died. I walk past girls in the street and I’m worried about what they would do – I have lost my faith in people.”

Mr Tyler said he suffers from dizziness which has affected his work and prevents him from playing with his daughter.

The court considered psychiatric evidence that Oakley has been diagnosed with emotional instability disorder since the night of the attack and that at the time she was suffering from a psychotic episode.

Oakley’s lawyer, Anna Chestnut, said “Oakley has not reoffended since the night of the party, when she was only 19, and is now being treated with antipsychotic medicine.”

“It would be a highly exceptional case to depart from your sentencing guidelines but I do urge Your Honour to do that,” she added.

Ms Chestnut also highlighted the court delays, Oakley’s previously clean criminal record, her mental health issues and a supportive family network as mitigating features.

After the hearing got over, Mr Tyler was disappointed and said, “In this case, the punishment doesn’t feel firm enough, it doesn’t feel like justice has been served.”

“The trauma has caused me a lot of anxiety around women, it has affected my relationship with my daughter because I can’t play with her like I used to and it has affected my work. I believe the courts have been too lenient.”

Oakley walked free on Wednesday after her sentence was suspended by the court.