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Home / New Zealand

Rotorua father Breen Makiri stabs son 12 times in frenzied attack

Kelly Makiha
By Kelly Makiha
Multimedia Journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
30 Mar, 2021 05:00 PM3 mins to read

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A father stabbed his son 12 times in a frenzied attack. Photo/Getty Images

A father stabbed his son 12 times in a frenzied attack. Photo/Getty Images

A Rotorua father who had enough of his son's drunken ways picked up a butcher's knife and stabbed him 12 times in a frenzied attack intended to kill him.

The son was stabbed all over his body, including his head, arms, chest and legs.

The father also told police if he had a gun he would have shot his son and that he wanted to kill him.

Breen Makiri, aged in his 60s, is behind bars and awaiting sentencing in the High Court at Rotorua after recently admitting two charges, including attempting to murder his son, also called Breen Makiri, and wounding another person with reckless disregard.

The other person, a woman who was a friend of Makiri Snr's, tried to stop the fight between father and son and in the process, Makiri Snr took a large chunk of flesh off her shoulder with the butcher's knife.

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Details around the case can now be made public after a summary of facts was released to the Rotorua Daily Post.

Makiri Snr and his son lived together in a small one-bedroom unit in a block of flats on Herewini St in Rotorua.

The relationship between them was described in the summary of facts as being volatile with Makiri Snr wanting his son to leave.

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On Sunday, August 2 last year, the father and son were at home and were being visited by the woman and another associate of Makiri Jnr's.

They were drinking and socialising together. All but Makiri Snr went into the bedroom where they became intoxicated.

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Makiri Snr started to argue with his son about how loud the music was playing and he became annoyed his son was so intoxicated that he wouldn't take responsibility.

The summary of facts said Makiri Snr told his son to leave but Makiri Jnr refused, saying he had paid money and bought food for the house.

The argument became heated and Makiri Jnr started punching his father. Makiri Jnr then started overturning furniture in the lounge.

When Makiri Jnr picked up the television and threw it, Makiri Snr had had enough, the summary said.

He picked up a butcher's knife and began stabbing his son, wanting to kill him in a "frenzied attack", the summary said.

"[Makiri Snr] stabbed him over and over again with the intent to end his life."

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The woman at the house had been in the bedroom when the fight started. She went into the lounge and when she saw Makiri Jnr being attacked by his father, she jumped between the pair.

"As a result [Makiri Snr] took out a large chunk of her flesh on her shoulder with the butcher's knife," the summary said.

The woman's actions caused Makiri Snr to pause as he didn't want to hurt her, which caused the attack on Makiri Jnr to end and therefore saved his life.

Both the woman and Makiri Jnr needed surgery to fix their stab wounds.

Makiri Snr admitted to police what happened and said if he had a gun he would have shot his son and that he wanted to kill him.

Makiri Snr has been remanded in custody for sentencing in the High Court at Rotorua on April 14 at 2.15pm.

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