In an ideal world, justice is supposed to be blind but in the real world, the scales of justice have shown to be tilted time and time again to benefit the wealthy and privileged.
A bright medical student from Oxford University, named Lavinia Woodward, avoided the jail time entirely despite stabbing her boyfriend.
The 24 year old, Lavinia Woodward, was struggling with addiction to alcohol and drugs, which allegedly stemmed from a past abusive relationship.
In 2016, the girl, dreamed of becoming a surgeon, met a new boyfriend on the dating app Tinder, but her addiction to alcohol soon made the relationship untenable, and things quickly came to a head.
Woodward flew into a fit of rage after learning that her boyfriend had contacted her mother to talk about her drinking habit, she threw things at him, lunged at him with a bread knife, and stabbed him in the leg and later tried to stab herself before her boyfriend managed to disarm her.
It was a clear-cut case of unlawful wounding, and Woodward pleaded guilty to the offense in 2017 but instead of being sent to jail to await sentencing, she walked out of the courtroom.
Judge Ian Pringle QC of Oxford Crown Court, acknowledging the severity of Woodward’s actions, chose to defer her sentencing for four months.
Despite recognizing the gravity of the offense, he opted against immediate imprisonment, citing Woodward’s potential and desire to pursue her chosen profession.
This decision, intended to provide Woodward with an opportunity to address her addiction, underscored a clear double standard in justice administration.
Upon her sentencing date, Woodward received a ten-month suspended sentence, effectively avoiding imprisonment. While the judge commended her apparent remorse and intelligence, critics decried what they perceived as leniency fueled by gender bias.
Despite efforts to appeal her sentence, Woodward’s dreams of becoming a surgeon were dashed as she withdrew from Oxford University. The Court of Appeal upheld the judge’s decision, deeming it constructive and compassionate.
While Woodward evaded jail time, her actions bore consequences, leading to the forfeiture of her professional aspirations. The outcome of her case serves as a stark reminder of the inequities prevalent within the legal system, where not all individuals are treated equally.
