A woman accused of stabbing her husband in the chest and narrowly missing his heart has been cleared.

A jury at Bristol Crown Court has found Tameika Howell, 28, not guilty of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding following a three-day trial.

The court heard earlier in the week that Mrs Howell of Mivart Street, Easton, had stabbed her husband Raymond with a kitchen knife in Washington Avenue, Easton, as an act of self-defence to stop him beating her.

Jurors were told that Mrs Howell had not intended to cause her husband serious harm, but had jabbed the knife towards him to defend herself and to get him to move away from her.

Giving evidence, Mrs Howell had told the court she had been subjected to a series of physical assaults since 2007 but had not reported them all because of her immigration status.

She told the jury she had moved towards her husband with a knife because he had earlier punched her in the face.