Tema Ratana jailed for stabbing Taranaki teen in act of ‘extreme and gratuitous violence’

A promising young league player has lost his “spark” for the game after he was stabbed in the stomach. Photo / 123rf

WARNING: Graphic content

A promising young league player has lost his “spark” for the game after he was stabbed in the stomach so violently he was left with a 20cm wound and protruding innards.

The victim, then 19, was stabbed at his home in New Plymouth by Tema Wiremu Ratana, who was known to him.

This week, Ratana, 39, appeared before Judge Gregory Hikaka in the New Plymouth District Court where he was sentenced to seven years in jail on an admitted charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The court heard that on November 20, 2021, the victim and a family member of Ratana’s were involved in a domestic incident attended by police.

Text message data showed Ratana and his partner, Mihiata Morgan, had concerns for the welfare of the family member and were angry at the victim who allegedly assaulted her.

The following day, Ratana and Morgan went to the victim’s address, where he lives with his family.

He was mowing the lawns when Ratana confronted him and punched him in the face.

The victim pushed Ratana, causing him to fall over, and then punched him as he attempted to get up.

The pair then grappled for a time before Ratana returned to his vehicle and said: “I’ll be back”.

Less than an hour later, he and Morgan returned and Morgan spoke with the victim’s mother, asking for Ratana’s sunglasses and cellphone, which he had dropped during the scuffle.

When they were both asked to leave, Ratana said: “Or what?”

The victim, who was inside the house at the time, heard Ratana’s voice and went to the door and also told them to leave.

When Ratana again said “Or what”, the victim headed down the stairs toward Ratana and drew his fist back to throw a punch.

But Ratana pulled a knife from his pocket, thrust it into the victim’s abdomen and pulled it horizontally across his stomach.

With one hand, the victim grabbed Ratana’s wrist, and, with the other, he punched him in the head.

The blow caused Ratana to stumble backward, freeing the knife from the victim’s stomach.

According to the summary of facts, Ratana then swung the knife at the victim, slicing the victim’s finger to the bone as he put his hand out in defence.

While Ratana accepted the summary of facts, he disputed he intended to strike the victim a second time with the knife. But at an earlier disputed facts hearing, Judge Hikaka found he had.

Tema Ratana was sentenced in New Plymouth District this week. Photo / Tara Shaskey

The victim lifted his shirt and found a 20cm wound with his “intestines and organs protruding out”.

Ratana and Morgan left the scene and first aid was provided to the victim by his family and neighbours until emergency services arrived.

The victim underwent emergency surgery to address his perforated bowel which required 38 staples. His finger required 20 stitches.

In court, Judge Hikaka said the victim was not only physically impacted by the attack but also emotionally.

He spoke of seeing his younger brother “trying to hold his intestines in”, his family crying and comforting him, and the nightmares he has since endured.

The victim also detailed the significant impact the offending has had on his sporting career.

“He had a huge opportunity in rugby league, which is a sport that he loves. He had been selected to trial in a development tournament for the New Zealand Kiwis under 20s team,” Judge Hikaka said, referencing the victim impact statement.

“But because of his injuries he never got to play in the tournament and he missed that opportunity; an opportunity to represent his country.

“He’s thankful he’s back to full fitness and participating in sports but his spark for rugby league is no longer what it was.”

Defence lawyer Steven Lack acknowledged the seriousness of the offending but argued it was an act of “excessive self-defence”.

“The blow with the knife was struck as the complainant was approaching the defendant down the stairs, at speed, and on his own admission with the intention of punching Mr Ratana in the head,” Lack said.

“So, clearly Mr Ratana’s action in stabbing the complainant on the first occasion was for the purposes of defending himself.”

Lack submitted it was not Ratana’s intent to inflict such a “serious and horrific” wound.

Ratana, who Lack described as a hardworking man, has positive prospects of rehabilitation, was genuinely remorseful for his offending and has expressed insight into the harm he has caused.

He argued for an end sentence of one year and 11 months’ imprisonment, which was at odds with the approximate eight-year jail term the Crown submitted was appropriate.

Prosecutor Jo Woodcock rejected the defence’s submission that the offending was an act of excessive self-defence.

She pointed out Ratana had returned to the property and taken with him a weapon, and, when he was asked to leave the victim’s property, he responded by saying “Or what?”

Those circumstances were more consistent with Ratana trying to provoke the victim into a confrontation, Woodcock argued.

The attack was “extreme and gratuitous violence with a premeditated and retributive element”, she submitted.

Woodcock called for Ratana’s sentence to be coupled with a minimum period of imprisonment.

A pre-sentence report stated Ratana said he did not intend to use the knife and it was only meant to be a deterrent. He was remorseful for his actions, it said.

Judge Hikaka categorised the offending as extreme violence which occurred in the victim’s home, in front of his mother and young brothers.

The judge ruled it was premeditated, rejecting Ratana’s explanation for having the knife on him and his argument of excessive self-defence.

“You had a clear intent to stab this person and to cause significant damage to him,” Judge Hikaka said, referencing the size of the victim’s wound and his “innards hanging out”.

He said there was an element of “callous disregard” for the victim, and questioned whether Ratana was truly remorseful.

While the judge ruled a minimum period of imprisonment was not required, he said the jail term imposed reflected the “very serious nature” of the offending.

Morgan was charged with being an accessory after the fact to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and will be sentenced in February next year. She is also facing a number of unrelated dishonesty charges.

Tara Shaskey joined NZME in 2022 as a news director and Open Justice reporter. She has been a reporter since 2014 and previously worked at Stuff where she covered crime and justice, arts and entertainment, and Māori issues.