A jury has found a Portuguese seaman not guilty of slashing a cook with a fishing knife onboard a vessel while it was docked in Whangarei for repairs.
Fisherman Rui Alberto da Silva Faria had been charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and an alternative charge of wounding with intent to injure the boat's cook, Joao Manuel Almeida Escobar.
The boat they had worked on together for four years - the San Nikinau - was docked in Whangarei on December 28, 2010, when the alleged incident took place.
During the three-day trial in Whangarei District Court, Mr Escobar gave evidence and showed the jury of six women and six men the two scars on his chest and torso - that were about 20cm long.
More than 40 staples were used to close the cuts and a cut to his finger required two stitches.
Defence lawyer Chris Muston closed his case by saying Mr Escobar was "a fighter, a drinker and a womaniser" who was afraid his friend, Faria, would tell his wife about the other woman he had been with while sailing around the world.
Mr Muston also pointed out the wounds were on the left-hand side of Mr Ecobar's body, they were straight and shallow and did not pierce the body cavity.
Mr Muston described the wounds as "delicate knife work".
Most of the blood was in the bathroom and little was on the bed where he said he was cut.
"Where is the evidence independent of the cook that my client did this to the cook?
"There is no forensic evidence to connect him," Mr Muston said.
When Faria was spoken to by police he said he knew nothing of the attack on Mr Ecobar.
Crown prosecutor David Stevens said in his closing address to suggest Mr Escobar had inflicted the wounds on himself was implausible.
When that was put to him while giving evidence he responded in disbelief.
Claims he was drunk were also disputed by the Crown as blood tests showed Mr Ecobar's blood alcohol was just below the legal limit to drive of 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.