Woman's flight from violence ends in death

A woman who tried to leave a violent man with a history of mental illness was dead within a month of a court granting her a protection order against him.

Jason Wiremu Davis walked into the Papatoetoe K-Mart and bought a knife and some rope on April 20 last year. Twenty-two hours later, he and Eileen Te Oki Puke, his partner of 10 years, were dead.

She lay stabbed on the floor of her Otara home, he was found dead in a park. Coroner Sarn Herdson has reserved her decision on the deaths.

Yesterday the court heard how Ms Puke had tried to leave her relationship with Davis.

Ms Puke's mother, Jennifer Puke, told the Herald her daughter wanted to leave Davis, who had been assaulting her for years.

"She thought there was something more to life than him staying at home with her."

Senior Constable Heather Ruddell told the court Davis was assessed in June 2004 but did not meet the criteria for adult mental health services specialist care.

Diagnosed with morbid jealousy syndrome and a drug- and alcohol-induced depressive disorder, he was given phone numbers for drug and alcohol treatment services and a crisis phone service.

In 1999 and 2000 Davis was convicted of assaulting Ms Puke, Ms Ruddell said. On February 21 last year he again assaulted her. The Huntly Family Court granted Ms Puke a temporary protection order the following day.

On February 28 Davis appeared in the Huntly District Court charged with assaulting Ms Puke. The judge ordered he not associate with Ms Puke, who lived at 21 Bailey St in Huntly. But then the judge, not named in the coroner's court, bailed him to live next door, at 19 Bailey St.

Ms Puke and her children moved to Auckland but within four days Davis had hitch-hiked to the city to find her.

She found accommodation in Otara and on March 17 her protection order against Davis was finalised. He was ordered to undertake an anger management course and on March 21 he again appeared in the Huntly District Court on the assault charge.

The judge bailed him again until May 12 but he moved to live with his sister in Mangere.

Ms Ruddell said the couple met on April 17 for a celebration of their 2-year-old son's birthday but an argument broke out. The next day Ms Puke's home was burgled. She told her aunt she was scared Davis was going to seriously hurt her.

Two days later Davis' father drove to Auckland to take him back to Huntly, but the following day Davis returned to Auckland, saying he had to attend his anger management course.

At 4.52pm he bought the knife and rope.

That night his family saw him looking at family photos, then the next day he returned to Auckland.

About 3.30pm Davis walked into Ms Puke's home, they argued in the kitchen and he stabbed her.

Ms Ruddell said Ms Puke tried to get through the lounge away from him. "Aunty, he's stabbing me, he's stabbing me," her aunt Andora Marino heard her say before she fell to the floor and died.

"Why did you do it, Jason, why?" Ms Marino asked him.

"Because she was going to leave me," he replied.

Davis was found dead in a nearby park about 10.12pm.

As he left the Otara home after the stabbing he told Ms Puke's four children, who were standing in the driveway, "I'm sorry. I love you."