A sleeping man received a vicious arousal from sleep when his partner, fuelled by the suspicion he was cheating, let herself into his house and repeatedly punched him before stabbing him with a pair of scissors.
Hineata Wipiti, 40, later tried to avoid punishment for the attack by continually calling the man from prison custody to coax him into telling police he had lied about the incident.
But her attempts to pervert the course of justice seemingly failed as last week, she appeared in New Plymouth District Court, where she was jailed for her actions.
It was heard in court that on March 15 last year, the Taranaki woman turned up at her then-partner’s home in Waitara around 7.20am.
The pair had been together for around 12 years and police had recorded 64 previous family harm incidents between them. It was not the first time Wipiti had stabbed the victim, the court heard.
On this occasion, she walked into his house through the back door. Soon after, he woke up and asked what she was doing.
He covered his face with his arms and attempted to bite Wipiti but was unsuccessful.
She then grabbed a pair of scissors and stabbed him below his left armpit, leaving a 5cm puncture wound.
The victim ran to the other side of the room to escape Wipiti, who threw a cup which struck the door next to him.
His flatmate called the police and she was later arrested and remanded into custody at Arohata Prison.
While there, Wipiti made numerous calls to the victim, despite a no-contact court order being in place.
The phone calls, which were recorded, caught her directing him to tell the police and lawyers he had lied and get the charge of wounding with intent to injure she was facing dropped.
In follow-up conversations, Wipiti asked, “Did you say you lied on your statement?”
She continued persuading him to “tell them you lied” and also said she told her lawyer he had lied.
In court, Judge Gregory Hikaka said both charges Wipiti was facing - wounding with intent to injure and perverting the course of justice - were serious, with both carrying a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment.
He said the case was initially scheduled for a judge-alone trial, but Wipiti had entered guilty pleas earlier this year.
She has 33 previous convictions, including eight for violence, and was considered to have high risk of reoffending, and a high risk of harm if she offended similarly.
While the victim did not provide a statement to the court regarding Wipiti’s offending, his family had expressed concern that one day she could kill him, Judge Hikaka said.
“That’s a valid concern,” he said.
Judge Hikaka took a starting point of two years and eight months for the wounding charge and then added 10 months for perverting the course of justice, and a further 10 per cent for Wipiti’s criminal history and the fact she was under the conditions of a sentence at the time of offending.
He allowed 20 per cent credit for her guilty pleas, 15 per cent for background factors, and 10 per cent for the “positive plans” she has lined up for her future.
After settling on an end sentence of two years and three months’ imprisonment, Judge Hikaka acknowledged Wipiti had been in custody for a lengthy period and had hoped for home detention.
But he said the Parole Board was best placed to manage her release.
“With the work you’ve done in rehabilitating yourself, we need to make sure your reintegration back into the community is successful.”
Given the length of time Wipiti has served in custody, she would be immediately eligible to go before the Parole Board.
FAMILY VIOLENCE
How to get help: If you're in danger now:
• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people. Scream for help so your neighbours can hear you.
• Take the children with you. Don't stop to get anything else. • If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay.
Where to go for help or more information:
• Women's Refuge: Crisis line - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 (available 24/7)
• Shine: Helpline - 0508 744 633 (available 24/7)
• It's Not Ok: Family violence information line - 0800 456 450
• Shakti: Specialist services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and children.
• Crisis line - 0800 742 584 (available 24/7)
• Ministry of Justice: For information on family violence
• Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga: National Network of Family Violence Services
• White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women.
