A Far North man dubbed a "timebomb waiting to explode" came within two millimetres of killing a woman when he cut her throat, the High Court in Whangarei was told yesterday.
Samuel Thomas Wiki cut the woman's throat with a bread knife, missing a major artery by only 2mm, and threatened her with a rifle and meat cleaver.
Wiki, 45, of Te Kao, was jailed for five years after pleading guilty to threatening to kill, assault with a weapon -- a meat cleaver, and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
"You stood behind her, grabbed her head back to expose her throat...inflicted a 10cm long cut and missed her artery by only 2mm," Justice Hansen said.
"You then believed her to be dead...when you realised she wasn't you pulled her to her feet, got a meat cleaver and threatened to chop her head off."
The judge said on the night of October 11 last year Wiki and the victim were highly intoxicated when they went to bed.
Wiki asked the woman for sex, and when she refused he reached under the bed, pulled a rifle out.
Justice Hansen said while it was disputed whether he put the gun in the woman's mouth, he pointed the gun at her.
It was only the intervention of Wiki's 79-year-old mother that prevented any further injuries or death.
Justice Hansen said Wiki was a timebomb waiting to explode. Aggravating features in the case included that there was only 2mm between life and death for the woman and that three different weapons were used.
Wiki attempted to shift the blame for his actions onto others.
In mitigation, he noted the pair's tempestuous relationship, Wiki's alcoholism and his early guilty plea.
The judge said the woman was still getting flashbacks about the assault and would suffer long-term physical and psychological effects of the attack.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.