A court has allowed a woman, who inflicted a severe injury on her boyfriend by kicking him in the face with her stiletto heel, to go free.
Crying, Staci Hargreaves reacted emotionally when the judge concluded that she might have been defending herself, and thus, her trial was stopped.
The jury was instructed to acquit her of causing grievous bodily harm to her ex-boyfriend, Gavin Taylor, who stands 6ft 2in tall and has a history of assault convictions.
The court also mentioned that he had previously served time for the drowning incident of a man in a canal four years prior.
After the proceedings, the mother of two expressed her relief, stating, “I am relieved and all I want to do now is get my life together again.”
Miss Hargreaves, 34, faced arrest in February after a drunken altercation in a taxi led to her striking out with her footwear, as reported by Bradford Crown Court.
Mr. Taylor’s left eye was severely injured when her three-inch stiletto heel penetrated it.
He exclaimed “my eye, my eye” before collapsing unconscious in his seat.
Mr. Taylor, 28, was subsequently taken to the hospital, where medical examinations revealed that the heel had shattered his eye socket and penetrated into his brain, causing a blood vessel to burst.
Surgeons at one point feared for his life, but he has since made a recovery and did not lose the sight in that eye.
The jury learned about Mr. Taylor’s violent and jealous nature when under the influence, noting that he had, on at least two separate occasions, left Miss Hargreaves with black eyes.
Additionally, they were informed that earlier in the evening, Mr. Taylor had picked up his girlfriend and carried her on his shoulder across the street.
Later, he slapped her, causing her to fall to the ground.
However, unlike the presiding judge, the jurors were not informed of his multiple assault and threatening behavior convictions.
Judge Peter Hunt remarked: “There is no evidence that indicates the defendant was not acting in instinctive, reasonable self-defense.”
