A woman who attacked her sleeping friend with a plugged in electric carving knife has been jailed.
Acacia Morgan cut Joanne Campbell’s neck with the makeshift weapon and then called the police, claiming the voices in her head had been screaming at her to do it.
During a 999 call after the bloody attack, she warned she was worried she would so something else – and said she was going to pack up and head for the woods.
Yesterday, the 51-year-old was locked up for four years at the High Court in Edinburgh.
But her victim last night suggested the sentence was too severe.
Contacted by the Press and Journal, Ms Campbell said: “I think it’s a bit hard really, but that is all I have to say.”
Morgan had previously admitted attacking Ms Campbell to her injury and permanent disfigurement by striking her neck with the knife as Ms Campbell’s home in Keiss, Caithness on December 13 last year.
But her case was referred from Wick Sheriff Court to the high court so the judge could consider imposing an order for lifelong restriction.
Yesterday her counsel, Edith Forrest, said an assessment had indicated she was a low risk and did not meet the criteria, adding: “She is not a danger to the public at large.”
Judge Nigel Morrison QC told Morgan: “This was a serious assault involving an electric kitchen knife on your friend.”
However, he accepted the injury was “superficial” and pointed out she had made a 999 call after the attack.
During the hearing, the court heard the “bizarre” and “unusual” circumstances of the offence.
Police got a call in the early hours from Morgan, reporting she had hurt 51-year-old Ms Campbell and that there was blood everywhere.
She said her friend was still in bed with a towel around her neck and she was going to pack up and go to the woods.
She told officers on the 999 call there had been no falling out, but there were constant voices in her head.
Officers arrived and found the victim asleep with a neck injury.
Ms Campbell said she had gone to bed after taking medication and had fallen asleep but woke to find a hand at her neck. She was taken to hospital, and although she has recovered she has been left with a scar.
Morgan told police during an interview that she had been unable to sleep and went downstairs and got the knife and plugged it in before cutting down on her friend’s neck.
She saw the blood and realised what she had done and got a towel to stem the flow and called police and waited for them to arrive.
Her defence told the court Morgan suffered from a borderline personality disorder of an antisocial type.
Miss Forrest said Morgan had referred to the voices in her head as the reason for the attack, and added: “The voices being the reason why this act was carried out.”
The court heard she had since been prescribed medication which had calmed her and reduced the voices she was hearing.
As well as the four-year prison sentence, the judge placed Morgan on a two-year supervision order for after she is released.
Last night, Inspector Nick Clasper welcomed the punishment and said: “Fortunately, incidents of this nature are rare in Caithness.
“Officers will continue to work with partner agencies to help reduce violence and disorder and to keep our local communities safe.”
