Massey stabbing: Donglan Wu pleads guilty to knife attack on ex-husband's new partner

Police examine the scene where Donglan Wu critically stabbed her ex-husband's new partner in March 2021. Photo / Hayden Woodward

A West Auckland woman who targeted her ex-husband's new partner last year - placing opened gas canisters next to the other woman's bed as she slept then later plunging a knife into her neck after the woman woke up - has pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Donglan Wu had previously been charged with attempted murder for the March 17, 2021, attack in Massey.

Appearing at the High Court at Auckland today before Justice Sally Fitzgerald, Wu entered the guilty plea through an interpreter. Crown prosecutor Robin McCoubrey said the attempted murder charge will remain in place for now but will be dropped at her sentencing hearing, scheduled for June.

Wu had separated from her husband in December 2020 but didn't move out of the Moire Rd home they shared with their son until March - at which point the other woman moved in, according to court documents provided to the Herald after Wu's guilty plea.

Wu returned to the house uninvited about 3.10am on the morning of the attack, according to an agreed summary of facts.

Police examine the scene where Donglan Wu critically stabbed her ex-husband's new partner in March 2021. Photo / Hayden Woodward

"Whilst [the victim] and the other house occupants were asleep, Ms Wu grabbed two regular size gas bottles from the property and placed them by [her] bed," documents state. "Ms Wu then opened the gas bottle nozzles and left the room."

But the other woman noticed Wu standing outside her bedroom door after she awoke to use the bathroom, documents state.

"Ms Wu lunged at her with a knife with an approximately 12 cm blade," according to the summary of facts. "Ms Wu attacked [the woman] with the knife, resulting in lacerations to [her] left arm and scalp. Ms Wu plunged the knife into [her] neck, creating a deep, gaping wound."

The cut to the woman's scalp was to the bone and authorities described her severe neck wound as about 8cm in length. She required surgery and spent about three months in recovery, authorities said.

Emergency responders were called to the home shortly after the attack, after Wu's ex-husband and her son entered the room.

"Ms Wu had previously threatened her former husband, saying she would make him suffer and that he would regret it," court documents state. "She said she wanted to make headlines."

She had not previously been before the court.

Defence counsel Graeme Newell asked the judge on Wednesday for a psychological report to be prepared prior to Wu's sentencing hearing, suggesting it might provide some mitigation for the defendant and help in determining her needs in terms of programmes she might be able to participate in while in prison.

Justice Fitzgerald approved the request.

Wu had been set to go to trial in September.