Woman stabbed holiday park manager for 'making life hell'

A WOMAN stabbed the site manager of an East Riding log cabin complex in a row over repairs.

Marina Marchi, 50, armed herself with a kitchen knife and stabbed site manager Kelli Barrett, 23, in the back at the holiday park reception.

Now, Marchi has been jailed for five years for the attack.

Prosecutor Nick Adlington said: "It would appear the defendant had been in dispute with the company for weeks and, on several occasions, had been verbally abusive.

"Miss Barrett genuinely feared for her life."

Marchi had been living in a log cabin at Florida Keys holiday lodges in Wilberfoss, near Pocklington.

She had become angry because of problems with her lodge and felt they had not been resolved by Miss Barrett.

The holiday park is one of three owned by Manor Park Lodges, based in Strensall in York.

Marchi had been drinking throughout the night before buying vodka and parking near the company's head offices in Strensall on April 4.

She sent her daughters a text saying, "Sorry girls, my life, I love you" and turned her phone off.

One of her daughters was so concerned, she rang the police and reported her mother missing and suicidal.

At 2.45pm, Marchi went into the holiday park reception and told Miss Barrett she was there to pay her rent – even though she had no money on her.

Miss Barrett told her she owed £108.84 and, as she turned her back, Marchi ran behind the counter with a large kitchen knife and stabbed her in the back.

The pair struggled and Miss Barrett suffered a wound to her forehead as she fought to protect herself.

Bookkeeper Lorraine Hart witnessed the incident and ran out of the office screaming for help.

Owner Shedrack Nelson ran to the reception when he heard the screams.

Mr Adlington said: "He ran into the office and saw blood all over the walls and floor and Miss Barrett and the defendant struggling on the floor behind her desk.

"Miss Barrett shouted 'Sheddy, she's got a knife'. He then saw the defendant had a knife in her right hand with the point of the blade touching Miss Barrett's chest."

Mr Norman took hold of Marchi's wrists and disarmed her, detaining her until the police arrived five minutes later.

When PC Dean Turner entered the reception, Marchi told him: "Yes, I stabbed her. I was going to kill her. I was going to do it as well and I'm going to do it again. She made my life hell."

Marchi caused a deep stab wound between her victim's shoulder blades. Miss Barrett also suffered bruising to her lower back, arms, shoulder blades and knees and defensive wounds to her thigh and fingers.

Marchi told police she "hated" Miss Barrett for what she had "put her through" but had not intended to kill her, only to frighten her.

Mr Adlington said: "During the course of Marchi's police interview, the defendant related a history of problems in relation to her accommodation at Wilberfoss as a consequence of which there was mutual ill feeling between herself and Miss Barrett. "

Marchi was originally charged with attempted murder but the Crown Prosecution Service accepted a plea to grievous bodily harm with intent on the day of her trial.

She has been jailed for five years at York Crown Court by Judge Scott Wolstenholme.

She was also given an indefinite restraining order forbidding her from contacting the victim.

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