Woman who attacked sister has sentence reduced

Phillipa Bayley. File photo / Bay of Plenty Times

A woman who savagely beat her sister before her dog attacked her sibling, resulting in horrific injuries, has had her prison sentenced reduced by six months.

Phillipa Bayley was last November found guilty by a Tauranga District Court jury of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to Liz Smith, who underwent surgery after suffering multiple tears to her scalp, ears, nose and lips.

Bayley admitted some of the injuries were inflicted by her with a stone chess piece.

The jury was unanimous in its view that Bayley's pitbull dog was involved in the attack but could not agree on whether the dog was deliberately set on Ms Smith.

Judge Robert Wolff set the sentencing starting point at seven years and increased it by a further six months because of the dog's involvement in the attack.

At the Court of Appeal in Auckland last month, Bayley's lawyer Bill Nabney said the starting point took into account all the injuries Ms Smith suffered, including those from the dog, so increasing the starting point by an extra six months was not necessary.

In their decision, released today Court of Appeal Justices Robert Dobson, Patricia Courtney and Anthony Randerson said they accepted Mr Nabney's argument the starting point should not have been increased because of the dog's involvement.

They quashed the seven-year prison sentence and replaced it with a sentence of six years and six months.