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| Poison cake woman spared prison | Poison cake woman spared prison |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A former hospital cook who baked a fruitcake laced with rat poison for her husband has been given a 12-month suspended prison sentence. | A former hospital cook who baked a fruitcake laced with rat poison for her husband has been given a 12-month suspended prison sentence. |
| Yvonne Godwin, 56, of Pilley Crescent, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire put two teaspoons of poison into the cake for her partner of 33 years, Robert Godwin. | |
| She had earlier pleaded guilty to attempting to administer poison with intent to injure, aggravate or annoy. | |
| She collapsed in the dock at Gloucester Crown Court when she heard the verdict. | She collapsed in the dock at Gloucester Crown Court when she heard the verdict. |
| You are not a criminal in any shape or form Judge Jamie Tabor | You are not a criminal in any shape or form Judge Jamie Tabor |
| Defending barrister Emily Durston presented the court with medical records dated back to 1975, which revealed numerous occasions when Mrs Godwin, a mother-of-five, had reported domestic abuse to her GP. | Defending barrister Emily Durston presented the court with medical records dated back to 1975, which revealed numerous occasions when Mrs Godwin, a mother-of-five, had reported domestic abuse to her GP. |
| The barrister said: "She was at breaking point. There had been a long history of abuse." | The barrister said: "She was at breaking point. There had been a long history of abuse." |
| Yvonne Godwin was recovering from cancer earlier this year when she discovered her partner had been unfaithful and was not "seeing things very straight at all," the court heard. | Yvonne Godwin was recovering from cancer earlier this year when she discovered her partner had been unfaithful and was not "seeing things very straight at all," the court heard. |
| She made two cakes laced with rat poison and had told a neighbour she wanted partner Robert Godwin dead after he started an affair with a friend's sister. | She made two cakes laced with rat poison and had told a neighbour she wanted partner Robert Godwin dead after he started an affair with a friend's sister. |
| Lumps of poison could be seen in the cake | Lumps of poison could be seen in the cake |
| Outside the court Robert Godwin admitted to BBC News he had been a bad husband. | Outside the court Robert Godwin admitted to BBC News he had been a bad husband. |
| Judge Jamie Tabor said he was being lenient as Yvonne Godwin had been in an abusive relationship. | Judge Jamie Tabor said he was being lenient as Yvonne Godwin had been in an abusive relationship. |
| "In my judgment (this) meant you weren't seeing things straight at all. | "In my judgment (this) meant you weren't seeing things straight at all. |
| "You've been a mother to several children. You've worked hard in several places of employment. You are not a criminal in any shape or form." | "You've been a mother to several children. You've worked hard in several places of employment. You are not a criminal in any shape or form." |
| Yvonne Godwin was also ordered to stay away from Cheltenham and not to communicate with her former husband for 12 months. | Yvonne Godwin was also ordered to stay away from Cheltenham and not to communicate with her former husband for 12 months. |