A MOTHER has been jailed after launching a drink and drug-fuelled knife attack on a homeless man in Oxford city centre after mistakenly believing he had stolen her bag.

Oxford Crown Court heard how Karla Ann Reynolds, 43, rained down blow after blow on helpless victim, Ian Shurey, on Magdalen Bridge last February, leaving the pair drenched in blood.

Mr Shurey needed hospital treatment for two puncture wounds in his chest and head and now suffers from anxiety and depression as a result of the vicious assault.

The court also heard how, after being stabbed, the Oxford college caretaker had refused offers from witnesses to call an ambulance as he rushed to the homeless shelter desperate to secure a bed for that night.

Staff at the shelter though dialled 999 after seeing the injuries he had sustained.

Reynolds subsequently admitted GBH and was sentenced to 20 months behind bars.

At the sentencing hearing on Thursday, prosecutor Kirsty Allman told the court how Reynolds, of Dresser Road, Prestwood, Bucks, had travelled to Oxford with her then partner for a night out on Saturday, February 10.

However, after the pair became separated, Reynolds bumped into Mr Shurey who was killing time before the homeless shelter opened that evening.

The meeting, which began amicably at about 10pm, would soon turn into a nightmare for Mr Shurey when Reynolds, in her intoxicated state, believed a Tesco carrier bag containing everything he owned actually belonged to her.

What followed was a brutal and sustained attack when he refused to hand over his worldly belongings.

Shocked witnesses described seeing Reynolds’ raise her arm high over her head before stabbing Mr Shurey a number of times in the head and body.

The attack was carried out with such force, the court was told, that the two-inch blade had bent.

Reading a witness statement to the court, Ms Allman said: “Mr Shurey was shouting ‘stop it, stop it’, putting his hands over his head while shouting ‘stop’.

“Blood started pouring down on to Mr Shurey’s face and he let go of the bag.”

Still believing she had been the wronged party, Reynolds then fled with the bag to Sainsbury’s at the Plain and demanded staff call the police.

When police arrived she was so covered in her victim’s blood officers thought it had been her who had been stabbed.

Ms Allman told the court that Reynolds had told officers: “I went for the throat, I don’t give a f**k.

“He ain’t taking me down.”

On sobering up however and seeing CCTV footage, Reynolds broke down in tears of remorse at her actions.

She was also found to be in possession of cocaine which she admitted taking that night.

Mr Shurey’s belongings were recovered and returned to him.

However, Ms Allman revealed since the assault Mr Shurey had been frightened to go out in public and had suffered from nightmares.

The crown prosecutor said: “He is now a shadow of his former self and doesn’t think he will ever be able to be his old self again.”

He has since moved away from Oxford.

Reynolds’ solicitor, Clare Evans told the court: “She knows there is little I can say.

“She knows she was dreadfully in the wrong – whilst it was mistake, it was carried out due to the befuddlement from the drinking and small amount of drug taking.”

Ms Evans pleaded with the judge to hand down a suspended sentence with Reynolds caring for her son who was born with spina bifida.

The court was told Reynolds had since received a caution for assaulting her partner in October.

Sentencing judge Maria Lamb said: “This was a horrifying scene for the passers-by that came upon it.

“You were described by the first witness as having raised your knife above your head at full arm’s length bringing it down on Mr Shurey, and that was done hard enough to bend the blade.”

Refusing to suspend the sentence, Judge Lamb added: “This was not simply one but more than one stabbing with a knife – that said, there was a lack of premeditation here.”

Reynolds sobbed as she was led from the dock to begin her 20 months sentence, of which judge Lamb told she will serve half out on licence.