A WOMAN and a girl threatened to break a baby's legs while they tortured his terrified mother, a court heard yesterday.

Paula White, a 33-year- old mother of three, and a 17-year-old Pontypool girl carried out the vicious attack on 19-year-old Anna Rowlinson because she was the lover of White's former partner, Darren Jones.

During her terrifying 45- minute ordeal, Ms Rowlinson was repeatedly kicked and punched, had her legs slashed with a broken bottle, was beaten with a wooden pole, and had a tin of white emulsion poured over her as she lay naked and bleeding on the bed.

White, of Samson Avenue, Varteg, and the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, threatened to "set fire to her home and burn her and the baby" if she ever told the police.

Ms Rowlinson's terrifying ordeal started shortly before midnight on September 23. Prosecutor Richard Ed- wards told Cardiff crown court that Ms Rowlinson was in her Garndiffaith home with her 22-months-old son Evan when her nightmare started.

Mr Edwards said: "Ms Rowlinson heard a bang downstairs, and went down to find her kitchen window smashed and the youth standing outside the door, demanding that she came outside to see Paula White.

"Ms Rowlinson went outside and was attacked by White who punched and kicked her to the floor."

Mr Edwards said that Ms Rowlinson admitted that they had been together after Darren Evans and White had split up.

The attackers then dragged her inside, and started smashing up Ms Rowlinson's television and stereo sets.

She was then taken upstairs to where her baby was sleeping, and when he awoke he was given a bottle by the girl who said they were "lucky that she didn't break the baby's legs".

The attack then moved to the victim's bedroom, where the girl smashed a whisky bottle used to collect coins, against a computer and sliced open the victim's legs with the jagged bottle top.

As the victim lay bleeding on the bed, the girl poured a tin of white emulsion over her, while beating her with a pole. Since then, Ms Rowlinson has been suffering nightmares, mood swings, and has moved away from the area fearing reprisals.

Hugh Wallace, representing White, said: "The one thing that we must ask is 'Why or how people can behave in this way'"

Mr Wallace said White was suffering from depression, and had been seeing a psychiatrist since the incident. "If only she had done so before the incident," he added.

Bernard Powell, representing the 17-year- old girl, said she experienced an unsettled background in which she had been the victim of violence.

On that night, Mr Powell said, this had "manifested itself into a sense of injustice that was unfairly taken out on the victim."

Judge John Griffith Williams, QC, said: "Anna Rowlinson was forced out of her home and then became the victim of a sustained attack.

"Your conduct humiliated and terrified Anna Rowlinson, such was her trauma that she had to move home. I have listened to the various representations on your behalves, but she is the victim in all this - not you."

Judge Williams jailed White for 15 months for unlawful wounding and four months for the criminal damage. The girl received ten months' detention for unlawful wounding, and four months for the criminal damage. Both had admitted the offences.