Man drank 72 beers before stabbing attack

A man who stabbed his partner's uncle in the chest and stomach with a boning knife had consumed about 72 beers before the attack, a court was told today.

Ina Williams was jailed for 4-1/2 years when he appeared in Wellington District Court today for sentence on a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

His lawyer Craig Smith told the court Williams drank 72 beers and smoked cannabis before arriving home in a highly intoxicated state, behaving in a bullying and unpleasant way.

His partner took their child and left, later returning with an uncle who attempted to get Williams to leave the house.

The uncle woke Williams from a drunken stupor and asked him to leave, but he got a boning knife and fought with the uncle, stabbing him several times.

Mr Smith said the uncle did not know he had been stabbed until he drove home, turned the light on and saw the damage. An ambulance was then called.

He had two stab wounds in his chest and cuts to his stomach and hands. He needed surgery and was in hospital for five days.

Judge Ian Mill said it was clear Williams had a problem with alcohol, and had convictions for violent offending in the past.

"When you get drunk you are a danger to people, particularly to people close to you," he said.

This was a violent, life-threatening and unprovoked attack using a lethal weapon and causing serious injuries, Judge Mill said.

To his credit Williams had pleaded guilty and had taken part in a restorative justice meeting where he apologised to the victim face to face.

- NZPA