Hamilton sex worker stabbed three times by client over $250 drug debt

Tahi-O-Hurae Rangiawha, 46, knew the victim well as he had been a regular user of her sex services. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

A man who was angry and high on methamphetamine stormed into the home of a sex worker before holding her down and stabbing her three times in the torso following a dispute over a $250 drug debt.

Tahi-O-Hurae Rangiawha, 46, knew the victim well as he had been a regular user of her services.

However, a dispute emerged that ultimately saw Rangiawha barge his way into the victim’s Hamilton home about 11pm on November 26, 2021, armed with a hunting knife.

Once the door was opened, he pushed his way inside, demanding cash and drugs from her after an earlier text dispute.

The victim spied the knife and yelled for help but Rangiawha grabbed her, pushed her on to the couch, and while holding her down stabbed her three times in the stomach and torso area.

A friend of the victim suffered multiple minor cuts and injuries while trying to help.

The 35-year-old victim suffered a perforated bowel, required multiple surgeries, and spent a week in hospital recovering.

In her victim impact statement, she said the attack “caught her by total surprise” and she’d been left traumatised.

Rangiawha was in the Hamilton District Court for sentencing last week on one charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after earlier accepting a sentence indication.

His counsel Kerry Tustin produced a letter of remorse from her client along with letters of support from family, and previous employers.

Tustin said that Rangiawha’s arrest “is what he needed” to address his issues.

“It really should never have happened.”

She said Rangiawha was now a “changed man” but was previously one his family had laboured with for many years.

“They’re quite frank about what they were labouring with, and his son was particularly frank about what happened in Covid and what they observed so this was a ticking time bomb in essence while he was on methamphetamine. "

His family now wanted “the father back that they previously had.

“[Victim] should never have been harmed for him to change,” Tustin said.

During his time on bail, he had worked on an isolated farm, hardly leaving and managing to stay drug-free.

“He is a person who is ready to face the challenge over the next three to four years, hopefully he will get earlier parole than that, and come back out and be that person that his family and support people know he can be.”

Crown prosecutor Scarlett Hartstone urged the judge to temper any section 27 discounts as unlike most others before the court, Rangiawha had a stable upbringing in which he completed higher education and had even been a leader in the community.

She pushed for no remorse discount as Rangiawha had breached his bail conditions by contacting her after being charged.

Judge Marshall allowed discounts for his section 27 report, remorse, rehabilitation, previous good character, and the offer to pay emotional harm.

On a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm Rangiawaha was jailed for four years and ordered to pay the $3000 emotional harm to the victim.

Before he was led down to the cells, Judge Marshall reminded Rangiawha he was an intelligent person who still had the support of his whanau.

“You have every prospect of being able to turn this around and lead a really good life, and one you can be proud of and your whanau can be proud of.”

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for nine years and been a journalist for 20.