Man stabbed seven times by deportee

A young man with the equivalent of more than 20 convictions seriously injured a man shortly after being deported from Australia to New Zealand.

Isaiah Michael Peka, 19, was sentenced in the Manukau District Court on May 24 after pleading guilty to a charge of causing grievous bodily harm.

In sentencing notes released yesterday, Judge Greg Hikaka said Peka had moved to Australia from New Zealand at the age of 6.

In May 2016, he was ‘‘removed’’ from Australia after racking up a string of ‘‘concerning’’ criminal charges in the Queensland Children’s Court.

His criminal history had been summarised as ‘‘extensive’’ and consisted of violence, armed robbery, theft, dishonesty, drugrelated offences and public nuisances, Judge Hikaka said.

On August 21, 2016, just three months after arriving back in New Zealand, Peka had an ‘‘exchange’’ with the victim which he perceived as a ‘‘threat’’ to him and his family.

Peka later returned to the victim’s home armed with a butcher’s knife which he had hidden in his trouser leg. The victim came out armed with a baseball bat. An altercation ensued, and the victim dropped the bat.

Peka then stabbed him seven times, damaging his lung and spleen, lacerating his back muscles, and fracturing a rib. He then fled the scene.

The judge noted it did ‘‘not take [Peka] long to offend’’ after arriving back in New Zealand, and said a report had shown him to pose a high risk of harm to others.

The victim had missed the birth of his daughter while in hospital recovering from his injuries, and had ongoing spine pain as a result of one of his wounds, Judge Hikaka said. He sentenced Peka to three years in prison.