Man gets nine years' jail for stabbing love rival

A man was sentenced yesterday to nine years' jail for attempted murder after repeatedly stabbing a rival in a bedroom fracas in Napier 10 months ago.

Hombre Fraser Huata, 28, a shearer of Napier, appeared in the High Court at Napier.

The court had previously been told his victim, Duane Slater, 34 , survived after surgery for his life-threatening injuries in the attack at about 8am on April 29 last year as Huata returned one of his two children to the home of mother and on-and-off partner Belinda Hawkins.

Huata was banned from visiting Ms Hawkins because of a long-standing protection order but barged into the house and into the bedroom where he began punching and kicking Mr Slater. Moments later he grabbed a knife from a kitchen drawer, forced his way back into the bedroom and stabbed the man in the chest, shoulder, thigh and lower leg.

Huata claimed he lost control when he saw a pipe and needle in the kitchen and believed methamphetamine was being used in the house where his children lived with their mother and her two other children.

A tape of a 111 call made by Mr Slater was played to the jury during the trial, with Huata heard in the background making continued threats and demanding to know where the drugs were.

- NZPA