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A man who repeatedly stabbed his partner with a bread knife before sawing at her neck has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Adam Clinton Goffe pleaded guilty at Lower Hutt District Court in February to eight charges including wounding with intent to injure and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Today at sentencing in Wellington District Court, Judge Peter Butler said the attack was extremely violent and unusual given Goffe had only one previous conviction for violent offending.
He said Goffe's actions were likely the result of an inability to cope with his sick mother and failing relationship.
On December 9 last year, Goffe was staying with his on-again off-again partner and mother of his four children, when he asked her about their relationship.
She was working on a university assignment and brushed him off.
Around 1.45am Goffe followed her to the bathroom where he pulled a 30cm-long bread knife out of his pocket.
The woman's friend and 12-year-old daughter came to her aid but after a struggle Goffe stabbed the friend and threw his daughter across the kitchen.
Outside Goffe repeatedly stabbed his partner in the back and upper body.
Judge Butler said she sustained her most serious injury when Goffe stabbed her in the neck and pulled the knife back and forth in a sawing motion while say "Do you like that" and "Die bitch, die".
Goffe then used his van to try to run her and a neighbour over before fleeing the scene.
He was later caught by police.
Judge Butler said the starting point for Goffe's sentence was 12 years but mitigating factors, including his guilty plea and sense of remorse, reduced it to eight years.
The woman spent two weeks in hospital and still suffered physically and mentally, he said.
A statement from the surgeon who treated her said the stab wound to her neck was 10mm away from a major artery.
"She basically came within the width of your small fingernail of dying."
Judge Butler said the families had to put bitterness and anger behind them and focus on the children.
- NZPA
