Chain Valley Bay: Carolyn Kelly sentenced for stabbing boyfriend in the calf with a steak knife

A young barista trapped in a “toxic relationship” when she stabbed her boyfriend in the leg, after he accused her of being unfaithful, is “embarrassed and remorseful”, a court has heard.

Carolyn Kelly, 21, of Mardi, has been sentenced for stabbing her boyfriend after he accused her of cheating. Picture: Facebook

A young woman who flew into a rage after her boyfriend accused her of being unfaithful and stabbed him in the leg with a steak knife as he cowered on a lounge, has been sentenced.

Carolyn Kelly, 21, of Mardi, faced Wyong Local Court on Wednesday, after pleading guilty to one count of domestic violence-related reckless wounding.

A further, more serious, charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was withdrawn and dismissed at a previous appearance.

Kelly’s solicitor told the court the young barista had now left the “toxic relationship” and was living with her mum.

He said she was “embarrassed and remorseful” about the whole incident but had unresolved mental health issues as a result of her “troubled background” with cannabis and alcohol abuse.

Carolyn Kelly, 21, of Mardi, arriving at Wyong Local Court where she pleaded guilty to recklessly stabbing her boyfriend after he accused her of cheating. Picture: NewsLocal

“Clearly she needs some rehabilitation to help her with her mental health,” he said.

An agreed set of police facts stated Kelly and the victim had been in a relationship when they separated and he moved to Port Macquarie for work.

Kelly has been sentenced for the domestic violence stabbing. Picture: NewsLocal

When he moved back to the coast in June 2023 the man contacted Kelly and the pair resumed a relationship before moving into a rented property at Chain Valley Bay in early October.

The court heard that about three weeks later, on October 22, Kelly’s boyfriend found out she had allegedly been unfaithful to him.

The following day they exchanged messages in which he said he wanted to talk and she said she wanted him to leave.

About 8.30am on October 24 the victim woke up and noticed she was home so he pulled the blanket off her and confronted her.

The facts state Kelly was upset and started crying and hyperventilating.

“The offender walked out of the bedroom and grabbed a knife, namely, a steak knife, out of the knife block that was on the kitchen bench,” the facts state.

At one point during the argument Kelly sat her mobile phone on the bed and recorded the audio in which she yelled at him.

“You’re literally a psychopath bro,” Kelly yelled.

“You cannot wake me up at 8 o’clock in the morning saying ‘you got f--ked in the bush last night’ … why are you looking at my underwear for?”

Kelly later said: “Now kill yourself c--t before I do”.

“As the offender was screaming at the victim, the victim ran into the lounge room because he was scared that the offender was going to stab him,” the facts state.

“The offender was running at the victim when the victim leapt onto the lounge with his back up against the corner of the lounge. The victim pulled his legs up towards his body in an attempt to protect himself.

“As the victim laid on his left side the offender stabbed the victim in his right leg with the knife. The victim observed the knife enter his calf on his leg with blood squirting outwards.”

Kelly immediately said “I didn’t mean it, I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry”.

Magistrate Robert Munro sentenced Kelly to an intensive correction order for 14 months with 80 hours of community service work.