KEY POINTS:
A man accused of plunging a knife into another man's face in a jealous rage was today invited by the judge to reflect on his guilty plea.
Vance Paraki Tuheke, 32, was originally charged with the attempted murder of Esley James before the charge was dropped. He pleaded guilty in the High Court in Auckland in August to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Tuheke was due to be sentenced today but Justice Paul Heath adjourned the case when the crown asked the judge to consider preventive detention as an option.
Justice Heath said he would have to give Tuheke the chance to reflect on a change of plea if he was to consider a sentence of preventive detention.
Tuheke was charged after he plunged a 15cm knife into Mr James' face during a row with his former girlfriend, Elisha Brett, in July last year.
The handle broke off the knife, leaving the blade embedded in Mr James' face with one end at the entry wound on the left side of his face and the pointed end protruding from the right side of his face.
The blade was embedded behind his nasal cavity but was removed by surgeons with no significant damage.
Tuheke was jailed for two years in 1998, for stabbing a former girlfriend and her new boyfriend as they slept in their North Shore home.
Other convictions include assaulting police, assaulting a female, wilful damage and cultivating cannabis.
- NZPA
