A 30-year-old woman described by a judge as emotionally unstable has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for stabbing her former boyfriend.

Maria Halliday knifed Alan Naylor four times while he was fighting with her new partner, Canterbury Crown Court was told.

Halliday, of Clements Road, Ramsgate, appeared for sentence having admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Naylor in April last year.

Charlotte Newell, prosecuting, said that earlier that day Mr Naylor had gone to Halliday’s home to collect his belongings after their relationship ended.

He later turned up at the home of her new partner, Paul Georgiou, in the early hours and was pushed away by Mr Georgiou. Mr Naylor then threw a brick at the window.

A fight ensued during which Halliday intervened and stabbed Mr Naylor, causing a collapsed lung. She later told police that she picked up a knife to scare Mr Naylor away from Mr Georgiou.

Deborah Charles, for Halliday, said that she had had a drink problem in the past, for which she received medication.

The court heard that during the evening she had been assaulted by Mr Naylor, who a witness described as being drunk and aggressive.

When he turned up at Mr Georgiou’s at about 2am a violent struggle started during which, Halliday said, she heard Mr Georgiou say he could not breathe and crying out for help.

“She is sorry for what she did because she had injured a friend,” said Miss Charles.

She said that Halliday was vulnerable to pressure from others but there were positive aspects to her character.

Jailing Halliday, Judge Adele Williams said: “You used a knife in the context of a complicated domestic situation. You are an emotionally unstable person who misuses alcohol.”