York mum is jailed for stabbing attack (From York Press)

Marina Marchi jailed for stabbing attack in Strensall, York

9:14am Wednesday 12th September 2012 in News By Jennifer Bell, Crime reporter

A MOTHER-OF-TWO who stabbed her landlord’s secretary in the back with a kitchen knife in a drunken rage over problems with her rented property has been jailed for five years.

Marina Marchi armed herself with a kitchen knife and downed a bottle of vodka and anti-depressants before attacking her victim, Kelli Barrett, while she worked at her desk in a holiday home headquarters on the edge of York.

Marchi, 51, of Florida Keys Park Lodges, Hull Road, Wilberfoss, went into the office at Manor Park Lodges, in Sheriff Hutton Road, Strensall , armed with a large kitchen knife and stabbed Miss Barrett between her shoulder blades.

Marchi then left her victim – who feared for her life – with a further deep cut to her hairline and severe bruising to her arms and legs in the ensuing struggle.

York Crown Court heard how, in the days leading up to the attack, Marchi had argued with 23-year-old Miss Barrett – who is a secretary and responsible for the day-to-day running at Manor Park Lodges, the company which owns the Florida Keys site, including the log cabin home rented by Marchi.

Marchi had reported a string of complaints with her rented home, where she lived with her 12-year-old daughter, and became angry when her problems were not dealt with.

On Wednesday, April 4, Marchi left the York home of her second daughter, where she had been staying for a few days, and armed herself with the knife.

She then texted her daughters saying: “Sorry girls. It is my life. I love you...”, before buying a bottle of vodka.

She drank the alcohol and took some anti-depressants before grabbing the kitchen knife from the front car seat and marching into the Manor Park Lodges reception, where Miss Barrett was sitting.

CCTV images shown to the court showed Marchi stabbing her victim in the back.

Officers who arrived at the scene found Marchi with her head in her hands saying: “I have done it, I admit it. I want to go to jail.”

Blood tests revealed she was so drunk she would have been more than four times the drink-drive legal limit.

Representing Marchi, Simon Revel said she could not remember parts of the attack.

She had recently been prescribed anti-depressants by her GP after complaining of stressful living conditions. Sentencing Marchi, Judge Scott Wolstenholme said: “This was a catastrophic reaction to the ordinary stresses of life.

“This woman was a victim for simply doing her job.

“This must have been an absolutely terrifying experience for her. In fact she said in her statement she thought she was going to be killed.”

Marchi, who admitted wounding with intent, wept as she was jailed for five years.

She was also given a restraining order forbidding her from contacting Miss Barrett.