A woman has been jailed for slashing another woman across the face with a knife in an attack a judge described as “horrific and wicked."

The victim of the horror attack, which left part of her ear cut away, told how it has had a “massive impact” on her life and she is now frightened to go out in public.

Toyah Holmes, 23, followed the woman into a property on Ranelagh Road in Weymouth when the pair started brawling.

Holmes, of Bridlebank Way in Weymouth, knew her victim from previous altercations in the weeks leading up to the attack, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.

The pair had exchanged messages and Holmes had sent threats to the woman, who was 19 at the time.

Judge Jonathan Fuller QC described how on the day of the attack on October 28 last year, Holmes approached the victim from behind, grabbed her hair and gauged the woman’s face from her eyebrow to her ear using a Stanley knife.

Part of the woman’s left ear was cut away from her head.

Friends of the victim, who had been nearby and heard her shouting, arrived on the scene and took her to the nearby Premier store in Queen Street, where an ambulance was called.

One of the friends described seeing Holmes holding a knife that was around 10cm long and heard her shout ‘that is what you get’ as she walked off.

The vicious attack left the victim with a 15cm wound which required surgery, and was deep enough to leave a permanent scar.

Holmes was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent following a trial. The jury was unable to decide on a further charge of possession of a blade, which will lie on file.

Holmes was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday.

In a victim impact statement, which was read out to the court, the victim said she “couldn’t explain how painful it was” when she was knifed by Holmes.

She said: “With blood pouring down my face I wished the pain would go away. At one point I just didn’t want to be here.

“The assault has had a massive impact on my everyday life. I worry when I walk places about what people may be carrying. I have lost feeling in the left side of my face.

“I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.”

Rose Burns, mitigating, told the court that Holmes was “extremely remorseful” and that being in custody since the attack had “changed” her.

“She realises what a horrific injury it was and that she should never have inflicted it,” she said.

Holmes sobbed in the dock as she was sentenced to five and a half years in prison.

Judge Fuller described the attack as “horrific,” “wicked” and “unforgiveable.”

Speaking directly to Holmes, he said: “However and whenever you came into possession of this knife, you must have realised its use in such circumstances was unforgiveable.

“Having heard the evidence, I don’t conclude that this is a case where self-defence arose. What is clear is that, armed with a knife in that porch…you deliberately, and with some force, drew it across the victim’s head.

“I accept that you are remorseful for what you have done. I certainly hope you will apply yourself while in prison.”

The five-and-a-half-year sentence will run concurrently with a two-month sentence for a separate harassment charge in which Holmes pleaded guilty to sending threatening messages to a woman she was lodging with.

Victim praised for coming forward

Detective Constable George Graham, of Weymouth CID, said: “This was a nasty attack by a defendant armed with a knife and it is fortunate that the injury was not even more serious.

“I would like to praise the victim for having the courage to come forward and all the witnesses who gave evidence at trial for their support.

“We are only too aware of the potentially devastating impacts of carrying a knife and Dorset Police is committed to reducing knife crime across the county.

“We will continue to work in conjunction with our partners to identify those at risk and those who present the greatest threat in terms of knife-related crime.”

If you are concerned that anyone is carrying a knife, please report it to the police online by visiting www.dorset.police.uk/do-it-online or call 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency. 
 

Other support, advice and reporting options are also available: 

•           KnifeFree provides advice and signposts support services, as well as activities to help young people turn away from knife crime. www.knifefree.co.uk 
•           Fearless is a service that allows you to pass on information about crime 100 per cent anonymously. This means you don't have to give us any personal details. www.fearless.org ​