A woman who slashed her friend’s throat with a serrated kitchen knife was jailed for 31 months.
Karen Campbell lashed out in a row over a packet of tobacco, Perth Sheriff Court heard.
The 53-year-old injured her friend Charlene Campbell by grabbing her hair, pinning her against a wall and holding a knife to her throat, cutting her.
The alcohol-fuelled assault happened at Karen Campbell’s home in Alyth in the early hours of May 11 last year.
Campbell then chased her friend into the street and repeatedly punched and kicked her across the head and body.
Police were scrambled to the scene just after 2am and found a black-handled kitchen knife at Campbell’s David Street property.
It was later found to have traces of the victim’s blood along its serrated edge.
Charlene Campbell was treated in hospital for a cut to her throat.
Her attacker had originally denied two charges of assault but she was found unanimously guilty by a jury at trial last month. The court had heard she flew into a rage after accusing her friend of stealing her “baccy”.
The court heard that in October Campbell carried out a second assault on ex-friend Ian Fairweather.
She shouted, swore and flailed her arms and legs at Mr Fairweather, hitting him on the head and body.
Fiscal James Eodonable said another person at the scene grabbed Campbell by the waist and “manhandled her away” from Mr Fairweather.
“Fortunately for all concerned there were no injuries sustained,” he said.
Solicitor Kevin Hampton said alcohol issues were at the root of Campbell’s problems.
“The death of her partner affected her greatly and caused her to use alcohol much more than before,” he said.
“She continues to have great support from her family.”
The court also heard Campbell had a significant criminal record but had never spent time in custody.
Sheriff Fiona Tait told her: “The nature of the offence, given that it involved an assault with the use of a knife, means that I do not consider there is an alternative to a custodial sentence.”
She was jailed for 28 months, with a year-long supervision release order, for the knife assault, plus a further three months for attacking Mr Fairweather.