A masters student at the University of Technology Sydney and president of its events society has been accused of attacking her boyfriend with two knives in a jealous rage over texts from his ex-partner.
Jacinta Angel Ferraro, also known as “Angel”, was arrested on June 6 after an alleged assault against her partner, in the latest display of what police describe as an escalation of domestic violence.
Jacinta Angel Ferraro allegedly attacked her partner with two knives.Credit: Facebook
Ferraro, who heads the student-run UTS Events Society and has been a DJ at several of its events, was at her boyfriend’s home in Parramatta at 7pm on Sunday, June 9.
According to Supreme Court documents, Ferraro went through her partner’s phone and saw texts between him and his ex-partner from a fortnight earlier.
“The defendant picked up two kitchen knives, a serrated bread knife with a 19 centimetre blade and a paring knife with an 11 centimetre blade,” police allege.
Jacinta Angel Ferraro is the president of the UTS Events society.Credit: Facebook
“The [man] put his hands up whilst the defendant was advancing towards him with a knife in either hand”.
The police fact sheet alleges Ferraro raised the knives and slashed at her boyfriend, causing deep lacerations down to the bone of his arm and to his pinky.
Ferraro then allegedly threw several items at her partner and hurled a PlayStation 4 games console and an internet router over the balcony.
Ferraro left the unit and the alleged victim was later taken to hospital by friends, where he underwent surgery.
The next day, hospital staff contacted police, who attended the unit and found dried blood on the floor and bloodstained knives.
They arrested Ferraro outside a home in Woollahra and she was charged with three domestic violence offences: wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging property.
Police say Ferraro, who has not entered pleas, declined to participate in an electronically recorded interview. She stated that she inflicted the injuries as a result of her own self-defence but did not provide her own version of events.
She was refused bail by police as well as a local court magistrate and was held in custody until she was granted bail in the Supreme Court last week.
The crown opposed bail, citing a “serious and unacceptable risk of harm to the community and to the complainant” in written submissions.
Ferraro also goes by the name “Angel”.Credit: Facebook
“The applicant appears to display a propensity toward violent and aggressive behaviour,” it submitted.
But Ferraro’s defence lawyer Kon Papanicolaou submitted the man’s injury, when taking the prosecution’s case at its highest, was “not severe, being a cut to the victim’s right pinky finger which caused a deep laceration”.
“On instructions received from the applicant, she had locked herself in the bathroom and the victim attempted to gain entry,” Papanicolaou wrote.
“This is to be corroborated by the bathroom door being punched and a hole in the bathroom door … There is the prospect of self-defence being raised.”
Papanicolaou also said it was possible Ferraro may not receive a custodial sentence if convicted due to pre-existing mental health conditions, and added the current delays to the court system will make her time in custody awaiting trial “a heavy burden”.
Ferraro has been diagnosed with complex ADHD, anxiety and bipolar disorder.
Justice Hament Dhanji granted Ferraro bail on the conditions she report daily to police, surrender her passport, abide by a 9pm-6am curfew while living with her mother, abstain from drugs and alcohol, and receive a medical mental healthcare plan.
She must also abide by the apprehended violence order in place preventing her from contacting the alleged victim.
Ferraro is next due to face court on September 26.
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