hitting her rival with a baseball bat and then stabbing her, Magistrates' Court heard yesterday.

Janell Liddia Caines, of Cedar Park Road, Devonshire, lost control and committed a classic crime of passion, the court heard. Her rival, Kylah Stowe, needed surgery after the attack and was in hospital for five days.

Caines arrived at her boyfriend's home on Cottage Hill, Hamilton Parish, at 10 a.m. on April 11, said Sgt. Wilbert McLean, prosecuting. Stowe was asleep in bed with the man, who is also the father of Caines' young child. After seeing them together Caines left the bedroom -- followed by Stowe, who was trying to explain.

"The defendant (Caines) grabbed a baseball bat and struck her on the head,'' said Sgt. McLean. "A struggle began during which the complainant (Stowe) removed the bat from the accused, but the accused then went into the kitchen, picked up a knife and lunged at her, stabbing her in the stomach area.'' Stowe needed several stitches, the court heard. Afterward Caines told Police: "I'm very sorry that she was hurt.'' Mr. Kim White, defending, told Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis: "This is a very sad case. The defendant expressed her sorrow at what occurred at an early stage. I ask you to bear in mind what confronted her when she arrived at the house of her boyfriend, the father of her child, and found another woman in his bed.

"This is a classic crime passionel . She was faced by a situation which was frankly beyond her maturity. It caused her emotions to get the better of her and she lost control.'' Caines admitted wounding Stowe. She was overcome with sobs as she told Mr.

Francis: "I'm very sorry that it happened.'' "This is a very serious matter,'' Mr. Francis said. "I have to consider the weapons used, and I want to give you the fullest opportunity to express yourself. I think you will be able to do it better sitting down with a probation officer.'' Ordering a social inquiry report, Mr. Francis remanded Caines in custody until June 12 -- her birthday. "I want to give you a chance to think very carefully while you are in custody about what you have done,'' he added. "A half-inch here or a half-inch there and we could have been faced with something very different from the case we have now.''