Man jailed for boning knife attack

A 40-year-old man with paranoid personality traits was jailed today for a boning knife attack on a man he saw as a rival for a woman's affections.

Steven John Cleave, unemployed, was sentenced by Judge Jane Farish in Christchurch District Court to four and half years imprisonment after earlier being found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

The attack happened at a suburban Linwood address where Cleave had been living with a former partner.

During an afternoon of drinking, Cleave became anxious that the victim was going to "muscle in" on his relationship, Judge Farish said.

He grabbed the partner by the hair and was challenged by the victim.

Cleave then armed himself with a broom handle and a large boning knife and confronted the victim.

The victim saw the broom handle, but not the knife and commented: "You will need more than that."

Cleave then stabbed him three times in the face and head.

Cleave himself called the ambulance, and stayed while the medics and police arrived.

Defence counsel Tim Twomey told the court that a psychiatric report on Cleave disclosed a paranoid personality structure.

He described Cleave as socially isolated because of his early upbringing. He had a turbulent relationship with the partner over 25 years.

Crown prosecutor Kathy Bell said the victim was fortunate not to have received more serious injuries.

Judge Farish noted that Cleave had a lengthy list of convictions but they were mostly for traffic offences and disorder.

- NZPA