Man jailed over taiaha attack

A man has been jailed for four years ten months for striking a woman with a taiaha, a long-handled club, he was carving - a blow that caused a 13cm-deep gash.

Nathan Rangi Te Rupe, 34 and unemployed, was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court today where he had admitted a charge of intentionally causing the woman grievous bodily harm.

His actions were described by defence counsel Allister Davis as a case of "excessive self-defence".

Judge Jane Farish ordered destruction of the weapon after checking with Te Rupe that it had no special significance for him or his family. He said he had been making it himself and had not yet finished the carving but did not want it kept.

Mr Davis said the pre-sentence report raised concerns about Te Rupe's propensity for violence, but there was also a letter from his mother which spoke of changes he was making and the judge said she believed he was now "in a very positive frame of mind".

Mr Davis said the woman had come to Te Rupe's Parklands house uninvited twice and had caused damage. He had removed her twice, and she had alleged she had access to a gun.

When he then got the taiaha from the house and used it, he had lost his ability to claim self-defence.

"He now realises he should have stayed in the house, rung the police, barricaded himself in if necessary."

He said Te Rupe had had a close relationship with his son, who was aged 10 at the time of the incident. The boy was now living with his uncle in Australia.

Judge Farish said the woman was still in an aggressive state when the incident took place, after having thrown a rock and a tow ball at Te Rupe. When she went to her car, Te Rupe approached with the taiaha, smashed a window and then struck her with the weapon.

She suffered a 13cm deep gash that broke a rib and lacerated her liver. She was able to drive to hospital but had to spend two days in intensive care and another week in a ward.

Judge Farish accepted he was motivated to change but he was seen as a high risk of further offending. His previous record of violent offending included a jail term for an armed robbery in 2001.

She jailed him for four years ten months and said she hoped he would do any anger management or relationship courses available in prison. She also hoped he would do horticultural training because he had proved adept at growing cacti for sale.

Te Rupe thanked the judge as the sentencing ended.

- NZPA