Prominent Christchurch eye surgeon jailed for attempted murder was dating district court Judge Jane Farish

A Christchurch eye surgeon jailed for trying to murder his landlord was in a relationship with a district court judge at the time, it can finally be revealed.

Dr Ian William Dallison, 66, was arrested after reports of an assault at a house in Lyttelton at 7.45pm on August 4, 2022.

He was jailed in April last year for six years and 10 months after pleading guilty to attempting to murder a man, as well as one charge of wounding the man’s wife with intent to injure.

It can now be revealed that Dallison was dating Christchurch District Court Judge Jane Farish at the time of the offending.

Judge Farish has fought for the last year to suppress her name.

But the Supreme Court released a judgment today that found there was public interest in Dallison’s offending. That interest extended to “the fact his girlfriend knows the victims and took a call from one of them in the immediate aftermath of the offending, and the fact that she is a judge”.

Former eye surgeon Dr Ian Dallison and his former girlfriend, district court Judge Jane Farish.

After Dallison’s guilty pleas last year, a suppression hearing was held before Justice Andru Isac seeking to prohibit publication of the details of the relationship.

Dallison was adjudged bankrupt on the same day as the alleged offending for $247,000 worth of debt, including rent.

The court was told he tried to murder his former friend to whom he owed money, firing a bullet that narrowly missed the victim.

He also eye-gouged the victim and pistol-whipped his wife in the violent struggle that followed.

Dr Ian Dallison's former home in Helmores Lane, Fendalton. Photo / George Heard

As a prominent surgeon, he earlier lived the high life from his Christchurch home on Helmores Lane, where the Herald understands he kept about 200 guns, including one believed to be worth several hundred thousand dollars.

He is understood to have kept quality whisky and cigars and drove a red Porsche.

The home contained a secure gunroom that included a working Gatling machine gun and was decorated with the heads of animals that Dallison had killed on shooting safaris, Stuff reported.

A zebra-skin floor covering was reportedly laid out in one of the rooms.

In January last year, Dallison sold the home for $2.95 million.

Ian Dallison at his sentencing in the High Court at Christchurch for attempted murder. Photo / John Kirk-Anderson / Pool

Financial troubles triggered attempted killing

Dallison grew up in a respected Christchurch family and went on to become a prominent eye surgeon, running his own eye clinic.

However, he gradually ran into financial trouble.

On August 4, 2022, he was adjudged bankrupt after an application by his 75-year-old former friend and another man.

The order related to $247,000, most of which was rent owed to the pair by Dallison’s eye clinic, which he ran out of their commercial building.

That day, Dallison collected nine firearms and 167 rounds of ammunition in his Porsche and drove to the 75-year-old’s home.

He entered the house at 7.38pm and saw the man and his wife at their dinner table.

Before they realised he was there, he fired a pistol at the man. The round narrowly missed his head, lodging in the door frame over his shoulder.

The victim and his wife got up and rushed at Dallison. A violent struggle ensued as they tried to wrestle the pistol from his grip.

Dallison badly eye-gouged the victim’s right eye in the scrap.

As the man’s wife tried to stand up, Dallison used his weight to pin her down and struck her four or five times on the back of the head with the pistol butt, concussing her.

Neighbours heard screaming and rushed over to help restrain Dallison until police arrived.

The couple suffered serious injuries, with the woman left concussed, badly bleeding and sore.

The man suffered significant damage to his vision and needed treatment by a neuro-ophthalmologist, the High Court at Christchurch was told.

The injury has caused double vision and difficulties with depth perception, affecting his ability to work, read, type and exercise.

*An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Judge Farish had fought for suppression for nearly two years. In fact the judge first applied for suppression 13 months ago in May 2023.