SINGAPORE - The couple were in an abusive relationship and often settled disputes by attacking and even biting each other.

Tensions came to a head when the wife accused her husband of having an affair and stabbed him in the chest with a knife.

Even when the police arrived, the couple were still fighting - the wife with the knife in hand and the husband with his shirt bloodied.

On Friday (Oct 15), the wife was sentenced to eight months and three weeks' jail on four charges including causing hurt with a weapon. Another four charges were taken into consideration.

Her husband was earlier sentenced to nine months' jail and fined $4,500 for offences including voluntarily causing hurt in this case, as well as ill-treating a child.

Details about the couple cannot be disclosed as their children are covered under the Children and Young Persons Act and cannot be identified.

Court documents said that at some time before 2pm on July 28, 2019, the couple got into a heated quarrel in their flat after the woman accused the man of having an affair, which he denied.

As the argument raged on, the man tossed a chair at his wife but missed. She charged towards him and bit him on his right shoulder, only to be returned with a bite on her arm.

As the man called the police, the woman took a 16cm-long knife from the kitchen and stabbed him once in his chest. He tried to subdue her to prevent her from further attacking him with the weapon.

When the police arrived at the unit, they saw the couple still locked in struggle. The officers separated them and both were placed under arrest.

The man was taken to hospital and found to have injuries on his right shoulder and a stab wound in his left upper chest that had to be operated on.

The woman suffered bite marks on her arms and a bruise on her left knee.

She was remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric evaluation. Doctors there said she has a history of conduct disorder and adjustment disorder, but added that there was no causal link to her offence.

The pair have had violent fights before this incident.

The court heard that on July 7, 2019, the couple fought in their car while the man was driving it on an expressway.

After being bitten by his wife, who also yanked the steering wheel, the man applied the emergency brake dangerously in the middle of the road.

Separately, the woman faced another charge for kicking her mother in the stomach. She also breached a personal protection order that her mother filed against her.

Seeking a jail term of eight months, three weeks and 19 days for the woman, Deputy Public Prosecutor Colin Ng said the main consideration in her sentencing was to deter domestic violence.

"Such violent acts constitute an abuse of the bonds of trust and interdependency that exist between family members. There is a strong need to deter anyone who might resort to such violence," he said in submission.

The woman, who was unrepresented, said in her mitigation plea that she was remorseful and hoped to serve her sentence quickly in order to take care of her two young children.

In sentencing the woman, District Judge May Mesenas took into account her plea of guilt and willingness to attend counselling to deal with her anger management issues.

"That is something you need to deal with - your anger management and poor emotional regulation," said the judge.