Kirkcaldy woman slashed mother-in-law’s throat in attempted murder

A Kirkcaldy woman has been jailed for eight years after cutting the throat of her “mother-in-law” in a murder bid.
Emergency services swarmed the street after the murder attempt.  Picture: ContributedEmergency services swarmed the street after the murder attempt.  Picture: Contributed
Emergency services swarmed the street after the murder attempt. Picture: Contributed

Sailita Bleive turned up at the older woman’s home armed with a knife as she went searching for her partner.

But Bleive (25) used the weapon to attack Evija Tomina at her address on Atholl Terrace, before making a call to emergency services.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The mother-of-one told the call handler: “I cut someone’s throat.”

She confirmed the victim was breathing but when she was asked if there was serious bleeding, she replied: “I don’t know and I don’t care actually.”

She informed the 999 operator that her boyfriend, the victim’s son, had lied to her that he was at college.

A judge told Bleive at the High Court in Edinburgh: “You were found guilty by a jury after trial of one charge of assault with various aggravations and attempted murder. Plainly that is a serious charge.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lord Brailsford said she was “candid and frank” with a social worker, who prepared a report on her, that she went with a knife.

He said Bleive explained why she had it but recognised that she should not have had it.

Bleive had denied attempting to murder her victim at her home on February 4 this year at a trial last month, but was found guilty of the offence.

She repeatedly struck Ms Tomina (51) on the neck with a knife, forced her to the floor and punched and kicked her to her severe injury, permanent disfigurement and to the danger of her life.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bleive, formerly of Dallas Drive, Kirkcaldy, had lodged a special defence of self-defence, but that was rejected by the jury.

She told the court that she went to the older woman’s house in a bid to contact her boyfriend.

She said she decided to put a knife in her pocket for the five minute walk and added: “It was just for safety because I am scared to go out when it is dark.”

She found her partner Rinalds Fridenbergs sitting on a bed at his mother’s home and asked him why he was not responding to her calls.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She asked if he had been drinking and been to college, but got no response, she said. She did notice a vodka bottle on a table.

Bleive claimed that his mother tried to gently push her out the room, saying she needed to talk to her.

She said: “I turned to Rinalds again and asked him if he was going to come with the family or stay here drinking. He didn’t respond. He didn’t answer.”

She claimed: “The next thing the mother-in-law’s hand was on my neck. I said ‘What are you doing? Let go.’ She didn’t let go.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Bleive alleged that she brought the knife out to “scare her off” and when she tried to push the older woman she was cut with the weapon.

But the court heard that during the attack Bleive told her victim: “Die bitch. Die bitch.”

Bleive said that after the knife wounds were inflicted she was “still angry”. She told the court: “I went up and kicked her while she was still on the ground.”

Prosecutor John Macpherson told Bleive that she concocted the story about Ms Tomina trying to choke her, but she maintained she did not lie.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Fridenbergs said he had intended to go to college on the day of the attack, but had a hangover and went to his mother’s house and started drinking vodka. He was drunk by the time Bleive arrived.

Following the assault the victim was taken from her blood-stained home by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital, in Dundee, where she arrived in a distressed state. A total of 20 stitches were put in knife wounds.

Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson said Bleive, who came to Scotland from Latvia as a teenager, did not intend the consequences that resulted from her going to the home of her boyfriend’s mother.

Mr Paterson said it was “a total tragedy” that had occurred.