'Sorry princess', said woman as she kept stabbing her best friend 17 times

A Derbyshire woman has been jailed for life after she tied her best friend to a bed and repeatedly stabbed her as she kept saying "sorry princess" on 9 July last year.

Shaunna Littlewood who pleaded guilty to attempted murder first tied Sarah Holden by her wrists and ankles and then stabbed her 17 times inflicting injuries to her legs, body, chest, neck and face. The motive behind the attack was still unclear.

According to prosecutor Simon Waley, the two friends had met at Littlewood's earlier home at Gladstone Court, Dewsbury, and were spending the evening together drinking when the "motiveless" attack took place.

Holden who was tied to a bed somehow managed to free her left hand and tried to stop the attack, but Littlewood continued to stab her, the Yorkshire Evening Post reported.

When she finally stopped the attack, Littlewood called a friend and told him about Holden and what she had done.

The friend immediately went to her house and tried to help Holden before calling an ambulance. She was taken to hospital where she was treated for 17 stab wounds.

She suffered internal bleeding near the heart, a wound on her breast, a collapsed lung and wounds near her neck and face.

Holden who suffered the life threatening attacks read an emotional statement at the Leeds Crown Court saying: "I trusted Shaunna because she was my best friend. But because of what she has done to me I do not trust anyone. Not even my own family."

According to the prosecutor, Holden's injuries are long term and she will continue to have breathing problems and difficulties while talking as her vocal cords were damaged.

The court also heard that Littlewood had earlier been convicted of serious violence. In 2014, she had stamped on another woman's head and was given a prison sentence and she was also convicted of biting a prison officer, the newspaper reported.

However, according to Catherine Silverton, Littlewood's defence lawyer, she was suffering from a mental disorder and had no memory of the attack.

Silverton added that: "She has no idea why she has done it. She has described herself this morning as a monster. She will never drink alcohol again. Even in prison, people think she is silly because she will not even use a knife to cut her food."

But judge Tom Bayliss, QC told the court that Littlewood could be serious danger to the public.
Littlewood could be considered for release from custody only after she was no longer deemed as danger and after she completes a minimum of seven years, the judge said.

"It was a motiveless attack, but had an element of premeditation and persistence," the judge added.
Holden also told the court: "I have had to leave my family and live by myself. I feel so isolated being away from my family. I do not feel safe in my own home."

She added: "There are days when I feel so depressed I do not get out of bed. I do not feel that I love myself. If I can't love myself how is someone else going to love me."