Pot plant stops vicious knife attack

Photo / Thinkstock

A frenzied knife attack on a Christchurch couple was only stopped by their teenage son hurling a pot plant at the offender, a court was told today.

Christopher Barrie Story, 20, pleaded guilty at a Christchurch District Court sitting inside Christchurch Men's Prison to two charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Judge Gary MacAskill gave him a first strike warning before remanding him in custody for a pre-sentence report and sentence on June 30.

Police prosecutor Anselm Williams said the husband and wife, and their 19-year-old son, were asleep at their Hornby home when they were woken at 2.40am on February 12 by the sound of people outside the property.

They saw a man take a pot plant from outside their house and when they went out to the shared driveway they saw him back at a neighbouring property where a group were drinking. They heard the man laughing about how he had taken the plant.

The husband yelled at the group to ask why they were taking his plants, and the wife phoned the police.

Story walked towards the family and pulled out an army-style knife with a 10cm blade, which had been out of sight beneath his baggy T-shirt.

He tried to slash the husband but there was a paling fence between them and the husband dodged the blow.

The family retreated inside their property and the husband tried to shut the gate.

Story barged the gate open and began a frenzied knife attack on the wife, who was trapped behind the gate. He stabbed her six times on the upper body, while she screamed. Story said nothing during the attack.

The husband stopped that attack by grabbing Story in a headlock and they struggled and fell. The husband was stabbed through the shoulder in the fight.

When Story got up and renewed the attack, the husband kicked him in the stomach and when he fell the son threw a pot plant which hit him in the head.

The family then ran indoors to tend their wounds and call emergency services. Story waited nearby for the police to arrive.

The wife had six wounds including two to her back. One stab wound punctured her liver and she suffered muscle damage to her left shoulder and chest. She had to have surgery and was in hospital for five days. She is recovering slowly and still feels numbness. She was off work for a long time.

The husband also had an operation during two days in hospital. The knife went though his shoulder and out through his armpit, slightly piercing the side of his chest.

Story told police he lost self-control when the family told him he was worthless.

- NZPA