Dunedin student deported after he threatens victim, stabs cat

Lander Stefan Schoeman was sentenced at the Dunedin District Court. Photo / File

A disgraced Dunedin high school pupil who stabbed a cat in the head flew back to South Africa after his sentencing yesterday.

Lander Stefan Schoeman, 17, was convicted for ill-treating an animal and threatening to kill and the Dunedin District Court heard his family had arranged a flight to his homeland for last night.

Judge John Macdonald imposed a 12-month deferred sentence yesterday, which counsel Sarah Saunderson-Warner said would make her client immediately liable for deportation.

On September 17, Schoeman had an argument with someone in the suburban Dunedin house where he lived.

He told the victim, was granted permanent name suppression, "I want to kill you".

Shortly after, that person asked that the cat be put outside.

Schoeman did so and grabbed a 10cm knife from the kitchen on the way.

Once out of sight of the house, the defendant put his left hand around the cat's throat.

In the ensuing attack, the cat struggled and scratched the defendant's arm before becoming "limp and lifeless".

Believing it was dead, Schoeman went back inside and acted as if nothing had happened, the court heard.

However, when he ventured out again later to bury the animal, it was gone.

Schoeman may have got away with the crime had the cat not dragged itself inside the next morning "drenched from the overnight rain and with the knife still protruding from its neck".

Incredibly, it was taken to a veterinarian for urgent treatment and survived - leaving its owner with a $2000 bill.

When Schoeman first appeared in court he was remanded in custody for psychological reports.

Health professionals found no evidence of insanity or major mental disorder but recommended Schoeman undergo counselling.

Schoeman's family emigrated from South Africa three years ago, the court heard, and the defendant would be joined back home by his mother for a few weeks.

Saunderson-Warner said her client's family was determined he would get treatment.

Immigration New Zealand was aware of the case, Judge John Macdonald said, but it was unclear whether Schoeman would be allowed back into the country.