A FORMER foster mum who stabbed a love rival in the face has been jailed for four and a half years.

Paula Outlaw plunged a knife into the face of her estranged husband's new girlfriend in a drunken attack.

The 39-year-old had been spotted outside her victim's former home, which had previously been set alight in an arson attack with a can of lighter fuel.

And when Kim Morgan went to ask what Outlaw was doing, she attacked her with a knife.

Richard Thomas, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that Miss Morgan was in a relationship with the defendant's husband from whom she was separated.

On Saturday, March 8 he said the victim received a phone call to say Outlaw was outside her old home with a can of lighter fuel.

Fearing for her former neighbours' safety she went to the scene and on seeing the defendant he said she stretched her arms out wide and asked why?'.

Outlaw then attacked Miss Morgan.

He said that she then realised she had been cut by a knife and was later found to have a seven-inch rip to the top of her coat.

Miss Morgan then punched her back in a bid to get away and a struggle ensued.

The victim was found to have a two-inch wide cut to the head as well as another knife wound to her knuckles.

"Miss Morgan told the police that she feared for her life and that she would be further injured were it not for her coat," Mr Thomas said.

Outlaw, of Thornhill, Bushton, near Wootton Bassett, pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Alex Daymond, defending, said the incident was out of character for his client.

He said she had been married to husband Shaun and they had two grown up children but their marriage had broken down after he had cheated on her.

At the time she was drinking and taking anti-depressants after finding one of their foster children dead in her bed.

Since her arrest he said she had been remanded in custody and found her medication worked well when it was not being mixed with alcohol.

He said she had been drinking heavily before the incident and had little recollection of what happened.

Although she had clearly taken the knife with her to the scene she had been using it to self harm and was not planning the stabbing.

Outlaw sobbed in the dock as Recorder Paul De la Piquerie jailed her for four and a half years.