A WOMAN attacked her partner with a kitchen knife after a row over money, a court heard.

Cheryl Anne Thomas, 47, later told police: "I wish I'd killed him, that's how much I hate him now. I really hate him."

Thomas, formerly of Fairview Court, George Street, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, but currently living in sheltered accommodation run by the MIND organisation in Pontypool, admitted wounding Anthony Smith, her partner of five years, with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

She denied attempting to murder him and this plea was accepted. Cardiff crown court heard Thomas was suffering from long-term depression and a bi-polar condition which involved severe mood swings and the victim of the attack agreed she needed treatment rather than punishment.

Judge Roderick Denyer told her: "This was an unpleasant and frightening incident of violence."

But he said: "This is not an appropriate case to impose a sentence of imprisonment."

Prosecutor Richard Twomlow said Mr Smith, who is in his mid 50s, was in a relationship with Thomas for five years.

The relationship was turbulent at times with acts of violence by Thomas to which Mr Smith did not react.

On September 10 the two were at their flat when a heated argument began about money.

She pulled his spectacles from his face, breaking them and began punching him.

Seconds later she armed herself with a knife with a six-inch blade, raised it and tried to stab him, cutting his right hand.

"Mr Smith feared for his life as she tried to stab him in the chest. "He thought that if he didn't get hold of the knife he would be seriously injured or killed. Luckily he got it from her and threw it into the sink." Mr Twomlow said that when the police arrived Thomas said: "I should have gone further".

Mr Smith suffered a severe cut to a hand and further cuts to a cheek, his forehead and face. Thomas said she was sure she had wanted to kill him and if he had not got the knife off her she would have "tried harder".

Her counsel, Stephen Donoghue said the incident was very serious, but he said, only weeks before the attack her mother had died. And, he said: "Mr Smith believes she needs treatment rather than punishment."

Thomas, who has no previous convictions, was sentenced to a community order with a condition that she receive mental health treatment for two years and she was also made subject to a two-year supervision order.