A Lake Macquarie woman who held her friend captive in a shed, burned her with cigarettes, poured boiling water over her head and threatened her with a grinder over a minor car crash has been sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in jail.
Acting District Court Judge Megan Latham described Kyna McAuley's actions as having a "significant measure of gratuitous cruelty" when she handed down the punishment on Friday afternoon.
Despite McAuley's ongoing denials, Judge Latham said she was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the now 42-year-old detained, threatened and seriously injured the victim after the woman crashed a car with McAuley's young child in the back seat.
No one was injured in the crash, but the driver tested positive to methylamphetamine afterwards.
The court heard that McAuley kept the woman restrained in the Kestrel Avenue shed using cable ties for about 20 hours in May 2021, which Judge Latham described as "lengthy detention and numerous assaults".
During that time, McAuley burned the woman on the forehead using cigarettes, hit her in the head with a hammer, broke and chipped her teeth with a metal pole, poured boiling water over her head, threatened to inject her with a "hot shot" of methodone, and advanced on her with an operating grinder.
All the while, the victim lapsed in and out of consciousness.
"There was an element of cruelty, torture and humiliation to the offence's sustained assaults and threats," Judge Latham said.
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The court heard McAuley enlisted the help of two men - one kept an eye on the woman while McAuley was away at one point and both men took and left the victim in bushland at Eleebana when the ordeal was finished.
The woman was threatened with death if she went to the police, the court heard, so she did not initially report the kidnapping.
But authorities became aware when she had to seek medical treatment for her injuries.
The two men have been sentenced for their roles - one to two years and six months in jail and the other to a two-year Intensive Correction Order.
Judge Latham said she was satisfied McAuley inflicted all the injuries to the victim.
McAuley also received a three-year jail term, which will be served at the same time as the longer sentence, for trying to manipulate one of the men into not giving evidence at her trial.
With time spent in custody, McAuley will be eligible for parole in December, 2027.
