Manchester teenager jailed for stabbing woman in the head

Taylor stabbed a woman with a steak knife after a row in Piccadilly Gardens

A 19-year-old who pulled a knife from her handbag and stabbed a woman in the head three times has been jailed.

Jessica Taylor, of Blackley, carried out the "vicious and unprovoked attack" on the woman after a row in Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester in July last year.

Her victim was seriously injured and left with "physical and emotional scars", Greater Manchester Police said.

Taylor was sentenced to three years and five months in prison at Minshull Street Crown Court.

The teenager had pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article.

Puncture wounds

Det Con Annabel Lewis said Taylor used a steak knife in the attack in the busy part of Manchester city centre.

She caused three puncture wounds to her victim's head, all of which required stitches, the court heard.

In a statement, her victim said she used to go out to socialise with friends regularly, but now "barely goes anywhere other than to visit family".

She added: "Aside from the physical scars there has been quite a significant emotional change in me.

"I have become quite short-tempered and irritable and often just isolate myself from people."

Officers investigating the attack used social media to track down the 19-year-old before she was arrested and positively identified from a video identification parade.

Det Con Annabel Lewis said she hoped Taylor's sentence would show it was "not acceptable to carry a knife on the streets of Greater Manchester".

"Anyone found doing so will be arrested and dealt with accordingly," she added.