THIS is the Gwent teenager who is today beginning a life sentence for attempting to murder a girl selected at random at a funfair.

Shelley Farr, 16, left her victim with a collapsed lung and needing treatment in intensive care after stabbing the terrified 14-year-old more than 20 times.

And the shocking knife attack only stopped when a passer-by pulled her off the victim, who pleaded for her mother.

Farr was found guilty last month of attempted murder and conspiracy to wound a person with intent after she stabbed her victim with a four-inch knife at the fair in Pilgrims Park, on April 12, 2003.

At Cardiff crown court yesterday Judge John Griffith Williams, QC, the Recorder of Cardiff, told Farr, of Glanystryth, Blaina: "I consider you to be a manipulative young woman."

The judge continued: "Custody for life on each count." He said Farr had shown little or no remorse, told a doctor of an interest in violent DVDs and is likely to have "an emerging personality disorder".

Farr's 13-year-old accomplice was found guilty of aiding and abetting a serious assault, and conspiring to wound a person with intent.

She was given a two-year supervision order. She will be electronically tagged for the first 90 days and was set a curfew between 6pm and 7am.

Another teenager was cleared of charges relating to the incident. Last night, the victim's father told police "there are no winners" in this case.