A mum who knifed her friend at a birthday party and then appeared too inebriated to understand her own court proceedings has now been jailed.

Gemma Sparks, 38, slashed Kimberly King numerous times in the frenzied attack at a house in Herne Bay.

During a trial at Canterbury Crown Court earlier this year the mother-of-one argued Miss King set upon her with the weapon.

She tried claiming the injuries she sustained were so severe she resembled "something out of Freddy Krueger".

But jurors saw through her lies and convicted her by majority after deliberating for five hours at the same court in May.

While attending her own sentencing hearing last month, an incapacitated Sparks was carried into the dock by her family, .

Appearing to continuously fall asleep and failing to respond to Judge Mark Weekes, he ordered for her to be held in custody and adjourned sentencing.

When he asked the family "is she OK?" they replied "yes".

But he ordered for the matter to be adjourned so the sentencing hearing would remain "dignified".

The rearranged hearing took place yesterday, when Sparks was jailed for six-and-a-half-years and given a 15-year restraining order.

During the trial, Sparks denied slashing Miss King’s body and limbs six times during a fight and said she was so badly cut in the fracas a friend compared her to something out of a horror film featuring Freddy Krueger.

She claimed she acted in self-defence but was convicted of wounding with intent.

Giving evidence, Sparks argued she was unaware how Miss King suffered multiple injuries after “flying” at her with a blade.

And she tried convincing jurors her own minor injuries were so severe she looked like a victim from a horror film.

Giving evidence, Sparks said: “(Kimberly) just came flying at me with the knife and stabbed me in the head with it, I spun her around and then threw (the knife) and ran.

“My face was pouring with blood when I got back in the car, my friend said I looked like something out of Freddy Krueger, and they were wiping me down.”

The pair clashed in the doorway of Miss King’s family home during a celebration for her brother’s birthday.

Sparks said after taking a line of cocaine during a trip to the amusement arcade, Miss King invited her to the address in Sunnyhill Road to collect owed money.

But she claimed rather than handing her the £50, Miss King attacked her with a knife.

However, prosecutors argued Sparks’ injuries were inconsistent with a knife wound and she herself was the aggressor.

'It’s true isn’t it, that you attacked her with a knife'

A photo of her injuries presented in court merely showed slight parting of the skin to her forehead and beneath her right eye, accompanied with bruising and minor swelling.

“It’s true isn’t it, that you attacked her with a knife,” insisted Mr Forbes.

“No, no,” Sparks objected.

“There was no need to cut her on the arm, and the other arm and in the back of her shoulder.

“Is this right, that you intended to cause her really serious injury and that is why you injured her with a knife?” said Mr Forbes.

“No, no,” Sparks replied.

“Is this right, that you didn’t contact the police because you knew you were at fault?” said Mr Forbes, ending his cross-examination.

“No,” said Sparks, visibly shaking in the witness box.

The court heard Miss King suffered six wounds to her body and was treated at Ashford’s William Harvey Hospital.

Darren King, Kimberly's brother, told how his birthday party descended into chaos following the ordeal.

He described his sister “sitting in a chair in the kitchen with wounds over her body".

“Everyone (was) panicking trying to hold them together,” he continued.

Meanwhile, officers continued to hunt for Sparks when PC Ames detected her red Vauxhall Astra on the M2 during the afternoon of August 21.

Following her arrest, Sparks, formerly of Herne Bay but now living in London, denied the assault in a prepared statement at Canterbury Police Station.

Sparks was acquitted of possessing a blade in a public place after the trial.