Jasmine Paaka-Culpin had been drinking heavily, got in an argument then went into "military mode" and stabbed two people and injured a third, a court has heard.
One was so scared during the "prolonged, unprovoked and at time frenzied attack", she hid under the dining room table. Another lost consciousness and now has facial scarring.
The 26-year-old was today sentenced to more than four years imprisonment at the North Shore District Court on charges of:
• wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm • wounding with intent to injure • injuring with intent to injure • assault with intent to injure.
The court heard how on June 20, Paaka-Culpin was drinking with her cousin in Orewa before the pair went to a local bar.
There they met three others and went with them back to one of their houses to continue drinking.
Paaka-Culpin got in an argument with another woman before she got up, went over to the dining room table she was sitting at and punched her in the head five times before leaving the house.
But a short time later, she returned with a small knife and rushed into the house to punch the same woman in the face.
The woman dropped to the ground and Paaka-Culpin continued to punch and kick the woman on her head and body before stabbing her in the face with a small knife.
Jasmine Paaka-Culpin was today sentenced to more than four years imprisonment at the North Shore District Court on charges relating to the stabbing two people and injuring a third. Photo / Facebook
At one point, she momentarily lost consciousness and suffered a fractured eye-socket, a large bruise to the same eye, a large laceration on the right side of her face and severe cuts on her chin.
A man and woman tried to intervene, but Paaka-Culpin stabbed the woman in her arm and punched and kicked her before she took cover under the dining room table.
Paaka-Culpin then punched and kicked the man in his face and body before leaving with her cousin.
When they got home, Paaka-Culpin became angry and verbally abusive towards her cousin.
"You grabbed [her] in a choke hold and squeezed her throat. You became even angrier and began punching her and kicking [her] when she was backing away. [She] fell over and you continued to punch and kick her as she lay on the ground," Judge Pippa Sinclair said.
Paaka-Culpin's lawyer, Geoff Anderson, said on her behalf that she went into what she described as "military mode" having previously served in the military.
"She felt in some kind of danger - she went into this mode which she now regrets."
According to her Facebook page, Paaka-Culpin served in the Royal New Zealand Navy for almost three years.
Anderson said Paaka-Culpin was "affected very badly" by alcohol at the time of the attacks and now realises she has a problem and has sought help while in custody.
Paaka-Culpin had a "tragic" background and suffered from mental and physical disorders which lead to her addictions and binge-drinking.
However, Judge Sinclair said it was a case involving "extreme violence" which left victims with scars and "fear, shock, anger to disbelief that they were subjected to this kind of assault".
"This was a prolonged, unprovoked and, at times, frenzied attack. It is clear from the facts you totally lost control that evening and as a result four complainants have suffered physical and emotional effects from your actions," the judge said.
But she accepted Paaka-Culpin had taken steps to mitigate her anger and alcohol issues and that she'd had a "turbulent childhood".
Judge Sinclair started her sentencing with six and a half years in prison for all the offences and gave discounts for her early guilty plea and personal circumstances.
Paaka-Culpin was sentenced to four years, seven months imprisonment for the lead charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two years for the other charges, to be served concurrently.
