A millionaire city trader who attacked her husband with a knife after he had an affair has been freed on appeal by top judges - so she can be with her children after just three months in prison.

Nasreen Alexandra Knight, 37, cut Julian Knight's hand with a blade, broke his glasses, repeatedly punched him and rammed her car into his after finding out he was having a relationship with her former friend, Erika Hillyer.

Mother-of four-Knight also threatened to kill her husband's new partner, who was forced to hide after Knight turned up drunk at her ex's £1million farm house in Hough on the Hill, Lincolnshire, and hunted around the property for her love rival with a knife.

She also punched Ms Hillyer and tore out clumps of her hair before she was arrested.

Nasreen Alexandra Knight, 37, (pictured left after her arrest, and right in happier times) was jailed for attacking her husband and his lover - but will now be released three months into her 15 month sentence

Knight beat up her husband Julian and then attacked former friend Erika Hillyer (pictured together) when she discovered their affair

Hedge fund trader Knight, of Freiston, near Grantham, Lincs, was jailed for 15 months at Lincoln Crown Court in March.

She pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating, two of criminal damage, one of affray and one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

But now, at London's Appeal Court, Mr Justice Goss has cut her sentence to nine months - after hearing that she has not seen her children since she was jailed.

Hedge fund trader Knight has not seen her children and got a mother's day card but wasn't allowed to reply

The only contact she has had is a Mother's Day card but she was not allowed to reply, the High Court heard.

Today's ruling means she will be freed straight away, having served just three months of her 15-month sentence.

Emma Goodall, her barrister, told the court: 'She has had no contact with her children since she was incarcerated.

'That has not been facilitated by the father of the children. The children are not permitted to visit or speak to her as matters stand.

'Her husband has stipulated that any contact be through a third party.' No suitable intermediary had been agreed between the estranged couple, the barrister added.

Mr Justice Goss, freeing her, said: 'These offences were committed in the circumstances of a marital breakdown, which must have been stressful.

Julian Knight, pictured here with Princes William and Harry, was slashed on the hand with a blade, had his glasses broken and was repeatedly punched by his wife who rammed her car into his

'The stress was immense and her behaviour can truly be said to be out of character.

'She has admitted her wrongdoing. She has effectively been deprived of all contact with her children while in prison.

Ms Hillyer (pictured) managed to phone the police while hiding under the stairs as Knight ran around the house with the blade looking for her

'The impact on her children is a factor. She has done everything she can to rehabilitate herself in the circumstances.

'She has recognised that the marriage is over and that she must adjust her life to different circumstances when she is at liberty.

'This must have been a frightening incident of violence...(but) she has had the clang of the prison gates ringing in her ears for quite a while now.

'The level of violence and the persistent nature of the offending on two separate occasions, with the second on bail, are aggravating features.

'But the wound inflicted was an incision not a laceration. It was a minor cut.

'The sentencing judge didn't appear to attach sufficient significance to the fact that, although harm was caused in this case, it was not serious harm in physical terms.

'She is highly intelligent, having worked as a hedge fund trader. This was a singular set of circumstances.

'She was under great stress at the time. She was a highly intelligent woman who has made considered and constructive plans to move on with her life.

The judge concluded: 'These were serious incidents committed over two days, the most serious being committed in breach of bail.

'However, we are persuaded that the judge took too high a starting point, before affording credit for the guilty plea in this case.

'Although there were aggravating factors, there were substantial mitigating factors.

'She was a woman of previous good character and had expressed remorse for her behaviour.

'These were serious offences, but the sentence should have been one of nine months.

'We do not consider that the judge wrongly exercised his discretion in refusing to suspend the sentence in the circumstances of the seizing of the knife, the infliction of injury with the knife and the threat of further injury with the knife.

'But the adjustment in the sentence in this case will now result in her immediate release.'