A woman with a previous conviction for stabbing someone in the stomach left a note at her supported living accommodation to say she was going to kill someone.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard staff alerted police after reading the note and discovering a knife was missing from the kitchen.

Police found Denise Warburton in Blackburn Market where she repeated the claim she was going to stab someone.

Warburton, 64, of Birch Hall Avenue, Darwen, admitted to possessing a knife in a public place. She was jailed for 12 months.

Graeme Tindall, prosecuting, said when police approached Warburton she immediately admitted having the knife.

“She was with another lady who asked why she had a knife in her bag and the defendant said because she wanted to stab someone,” he added.

He said she had a previous conviction for stabbing someone in the stomach.

Gareth Price, for Warburton, said because of the previous conviction the law said the magistrates had to impose a minimum sentence of six months.

“Leaving the note suggests this was a cry for help,” said Mr Price.

“She made the threats but didn’t do anything when she arrived in Blackburn town centre to further those threats.

"How far she would actually have gone we may never know.”