The face of a woman who stabbed her cousin 27 times during what the judge described as a “frenzied attack” has been revealed after her mugshot was released.

Michelle Halstead, 34, inflicted the stab wounds on her male cousin as he pinned her partner to the floor in their kitchen during an altercation.

Halstead panicked and, fearing for her partner’s safety, picked up a sharp object from the kitchen counter and launched her attack.

Robert Elias, prosecuting at the time, said the victim had arrived at Halstead’s home on October 14, 2022 following a phone call between him and her partner.

READ MORE: Woman stabbed cousin 27 times in 'frenzied attack' after family argument

Halstead was shouting at him to leave from the front garden as he arrived, but he pushed past her and entered the house uninvited.

He then pushed Halstead’s partner to the floor and pinned him down before feeling what felt like punches to his back.

When he got back to his car, he realised they had in fact been stab wounds. He drove home before calling an ambulance and was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary.

There, doctors found 27 wounds and 3cm laceration to his left arm which they said was most likely caused by a knife.

Keith Harrison, mitigating, said Halstead had panicked and “went beyond what was reasonable.”

Halstead, of Rosewood Avenue, Haslingden, pleaded guilty to one count of section 20 wounding without intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

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Sentencing, Recorder Michelle Brown said: “It was clearly a frenzied attack. There are some verbal comments being made.

“The stab marks cover most of his back and they are also to his neck area and lower abdomen.

“It is clear this had a significant impact on him.”

Halstead was sentenced to two years and nine month in prison at the hearing on December 20, 2023.