In an ideal world, justice is supposed to be blind. In the real world, the scales of justice have shown to be tilted time and time again to benefit the wealthy and privileged. We see cases all of the time like that of Brock Turner, the 19-year-old student, and convicted rapist who got off with a controversially light six-month sentence. But sometimes privilege can help someone avoid jail time entirely, no matter how heinous the crime.

In 2017, Lavinia Woodward was just like any other college student. A 24-year-old medical student at Oxford University, she had dreams of becoming a surgeon and was well on her way to making those dreams a reality. But while she was reportedly a great student with a bright future, she was also struggling with addiction to alcohol and drugs, which allegedly stemmed from a past abusive relationship.

She met a new boyfriend in December 2016 on the dating app Tinder. Woodward’s addiction soon made the relationship untenable, and things quickly came to a head. One day, after learning that her boyfriend had contacted her mother on Skype to talk about her drinking, Woodward flew into a fit of rage. She threw things at him, lunged at him with a bread knife, and stabbed him in the leg. She then tried to stab herself before her boyfriend managed to disarm her.

It was a clear-cut case of unlawful wounding, and Woodward pleaded guilty to the offense in 2017. But instead of being sent to jail to await sentencing, she walked out of the courtroom.

“What you did will never, I know, leave you, but it was pretty awful, and normally it would attract a custodial sentence,” said Judge Ian Pringle QC of Oxford Crown Court. Still, he believed the attack was “a complete one-off,” which led him to defer her sentencing for four months.

“To prevent this extraordinary, able young lady from following her long-held desire to enter the profession she wishes to, would be a sentence which would be too severe,” said the judge. He instead released her to await sentencing, ordering her to remain drug-free in the meantime.

While the desire to give Woodward a chance to fight her drug and alcohol addiction may have been compassionate, it represents a double standard in the way justice is dealt. This double standard was further proven when, at her sentencing date, Woodward received a ten-month imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. In essence, Woodward would be walking out of the courtroom without having to serve a minute of her sentence in jail.

“I find that you were genuinely remorseful following this event,” said Judge Pringle. “Whilst you are a clearly highly intelligent individual, you had an immaturity about you which was not commensurate for someone of your age.”

Others might not be inclined to agree.

“Female privilege at its fullest,” said one online commenter in response to Woodward’s story. “This judge needs to be removed from duty. No way she should have not been punished appropriately for this crime!” said another.

Although her suspended sentence was meant to protect Woodward’s dreams of being a surgeon, she later dropped out of Oxford University. Her efforts to appeal her sentence were denied by the Court of Appeal, which ruled that the judge’s sentence was “constructive and compassionate.” In this case, at least, the scales of justice were not willing to let her entirely off the hook.

Woodward might not answer for her crimes by serving time in jail, but her actions have still taken away her dreams of becoming a surgeon. Whether that is a fitting punishment is another thing entirely. Regardless, her story is another painful reminder that not all people are treated equally in the eyes of the law.