Wellington man who stabbed flatmate in back sentenced to home detention

John Franklin Dean appeared in the Wellington District Court this morning for sentencing. Photo / File

A man who stabbed his flatmate in the back during an argument - leaving her needing surgery to remove the blade - has avoided a prison sentence.

John Franklin Dean, 68, came close to damaging his victim's spinal cord and lung and left a 10cm deep wound in her back when he stabbed her after an argument.

He pleaded guilty last month to wounding with intent to injure, after originally being charged with a more serious count of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He appeared in the Wellington District Court this morning for sentencing, where Judge Bruce Davidson decided to give him home detention instead of imprisonment.

Dean was arguing with the victim on July 13 last year when he punched the 52-year-old woman's face, the judge said.

As a result, he was asked to leave the flat, at which point he retreated to his bedroom, grabbed a knife, returned and plunged the blade into the woman's left shoulder while she had her back turned.

"The stabbing was of sufficient force for the knife to be lodged in her shoulder area, causing a 10cm deep wound," Judge Davidson said.

"Examination of the wound revealed that the knife had come very close to a number of vital organs including a lung, spinal cord, and a very significant blood vessel."

The victim had to be hospitalised so the knife could be surgically removed.

She continued to suffer pain, restriction of movement, and emotional and psychological stress, the judge said.

"Alcohol clearly played a very significant role in the offending," he said.

"There seems on the face of it to be little other explanation for the offending, other than some tension that had arisen in the flat."

But a drug and alcohol assessor said Dean did not have an alcohol problem requiring rehabilitation.

Judge Davidson sentenced Dean to six months of home detention and ordered him to pay $3000 emotional reparation to the victim.

The victim sobbed in the back of the court as the sentence was made.

As Dean left the courtroom he looked at the victim and whispered "sorry".

Dean has also been given a strike warning under the Three Strikes legislation.