Patricia Martin
Of course not being able to speak is frustrating. I don’t think that should be accepted as any excuse for committing crimes though, do you, readers?
A deaf woman has been given a 15-month sentence for stabbing a man while on bail for attacking a police officer with a knife.
Patricia Martin, 48, of Linwood, left Andrew Finnegan severely injured after the attack in her home in October 2010.
Martin, who is also unable to speak, was jailed for 32 months in November for the attack on the police officer.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard both crimes were committed out of her frustration at being unable to communicate.
The two sentences are to be be served consecutively.
Martin stabbed Mr Finnegan in the back and chest when he got involved in a fight with her partner during a drinking session at her house on Muirhead Drive.
Solicitor Jonathan Manson previously told the court the original offence was committed when police went to her door and she lashed out in frustration at not being able to communicate properly.
The police officer was not seriously injured.
Sheriff David Pender said: “None of us can really understand the frustrations of being unable to communicate with those with whom you come into contact on a daily basis.
“While there can be no doubt that in normal circumstances the sentence which would be appropriate for an offence such as this – particularly as it was committed while you were on bail for a similar offence – would be substantial, it seems to me that would not be in the public interest.”
The court heard she would have been sent to Cornton Vale prison if the latest jail term imposed had exceeded 16 months.
Mr Manson said Martin, who is currently serving her sentence in Greenock prison, felt isolated and vulnerable when she was on remand at Cornton Vale as no members of staff used sign language and she was unable to communicate with anyone.
Martin was also given a seven-month supervised release order.
Same Difference 
Disability does not excuse this behaviour, deplorable on every level. She got off far too lightly
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Perhaps if more people learned British Sign Language there would be less frustration for people. There are over 100,000 people in England alone who use BSL as their first language.
Not that this is a reason for the lady to have committed a crime obviously, but it does make you wonder how many other Deaf people are suffering frustration (which could lead to all sorts of issues) in silence because businesses do not send their staff on Deaf Awareness courses.
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I agree withu fay,this woman is my mother and i think wot u said is true if there was more people out there who knew how to do brittish sign language then people just like my mum can be understood then things like this wouldnt happen,instead of schools teaching french or german which most of us woulndnt use they should teach BSL as it is needed alot more now days.
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nobody knows apart from ppl in the same boat wat it is like so who r we to judge, shes my mum n i know how frustrated she can b at times not that i agree with wat she done. myself and family all support her as any1 who has commeted a crime will do with their family xxx
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