A police force has defended the decision to Taser a 79-year-old woman who had stabbed her husband because she was struggling to cope with caring for him.

Florence Thomson was given a two-year community order and indefinite restraining order at Lincoln Crown Court yesterday after admitting a charge of wounding with intent to cause grevious bodily harm.

Mrs Thompson threatened officers with a knife when they arrived at the couple's home in Sturton Way, Long Sutton, last November.

Her 79-year-old husband, who suffers with Alzheimer's disease, was found with multiple stab wounds in the bedroom. He survived the attack and is now in a care home.

The restraining order means Mrs Thomson can now only visit him under supervision.

In a statement released after the sentencing, Lincolnshire Police said: "When officers arrived at the address, Mrs Thomson was holding a knife, she was acting aggressively towards the officers and raised the knife as she approached them.

"Despite being told to put the knife down on more than one occasion, she failed to do so.

"She had already caused injuries to herself with the knife.

"Her husband was in a bedroom at the address suffering from serious and life-threatening injuries.

"The use of the Taser was necessary to prevent Mrs Thomson injuring herself further, to prevent her from injuring the attending officers, but most critically to allow for immediate medical attention to be rendered to her husband who officers knew was elderly and had been stabbed multiple times.

"Had the officers not acted so quickly, it was possible that the injuries to Mr Thomson may have proved fatal."
Detective Inspector Dave Rimmer, who led the investigation, said: "I have no doubt that the quick actions of the officers in using the Taser prevented further injury or even death in these circumstances.

"The decision to use the Taser was the most appropriate and proportionate means of force necessary to gain control of the situation."