A WOMAN who stabbed her friend in a violent drunken attack on board an Arriva Trains Wales service in Chepstow has been jailed for life for a second time.
Lisa Savage, 42, from Birmingham, left her victim needing 87 stitches after she repeatedly stabbed her in the face, neck and hands.
Newport Crown Court heard Savage had been released on licence after being jailed for life in 2000 for slashing an ex-boyfriend across his face and mouth with a Stanley knife and was living in a hostel with her victim.
CCTV footage showed the terrifying four-minute long attack as she kicked and punched 43-year-old Sarah Hayton before pulling out a knife and stabbing her, shouting "go to sleep little girl”.
The court heard that Savage prised open the train door with her bloody hands at Chepstow Station and jumped off, leaving Ms Hayton bleeding heavily on the floor. A train guard saw the victim crawling through the carriage and alerted emergency services.
Police traced Savage to a nearby park, who laughed and told them: "I’m a psycho killer… I’m happy… I took her out didn’t I… brilliant” In her bag they found a large kitchen knife.
Prosecutor Anna Midgley said Savage was travelling to Aberdare to confront her mother late on Sunday, April 15, following a text saying she wanted nothing to do with her, but turned violent after Ms Hayton said she no longer wanted to go to see Savage’s mother.
"The defendant’s reaction was to begin raging and to take out a knife which she had packed and to stab Miss Hayton repeatedly,” said the prosecutor. “She believed she was going to die… train passengers were extremely frightened.”
The victim, who claimed Savage had become fixated with serial killers, suffered multiple lacerations to her face and hands which required surgery, and a deep stab wound to her neck.
In a victim statement, Ms Hayton said two puncture wounds to her right eye socket means she will never be able to fully open the eye again, and her vision will never return to normal.
She has suffered violent flashbacks of the incident, and now struggles to leave the house, she added.
The court was told Savage had "significant" mental health problems, complicated by substance and alcohol misuse.She admitted the attempted murder of Ms Hayton.
Savage, who had 13 previous convictions for 67 offences, including 15 of violence, was told she will serve a minimum of eight years and four months.
Judge Eleri Rees said she posed "a high risk of harm to the public" and the attack was "frenzied and sustained".
After the hearing, Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Jaci Thomas of British Transport Police said: “This was a shocking and vicious attack, and I am pleased we have been able to bring Lisa Savage to justice.
“I would particularly like to thank my team for their outstanding contributions to this case, which has seen Lisa Savage receive a long custodial service and a dangerous woman removed from the streets.”