Woman sentenced for screwdriver stabbing
A woman who stabbed her partner with a screwdriver, puncturing his lung, immediately phoned emergency services and followed instructions on how to help him, a court heard.
Shae Ormsby had grabbed the tool and stabbed the man who had his hands around her throat, Judge Gregory Hikaka told the New Plymouth District Court on Friday.
The August 26, 2019, incident followed an argument the pair were having at their home as they were heading to bed.
But as the exchange grew heated, Ormsby, 22, began throwing stuff at the man, Judge Hikaka said.
‘‘He grabbed you by the throat and there was a struggle and you stabbed him in the left side of his back with a screwdriver,’’ he said.
‘‘He fell to the ground and was having difficulty breathing. You called 111 and followed the instructions of the medical people you spoke to on the phone until the ambulance arrived.’’
The man suffered a partially collapsed lung caused by the single stab wound, which was about five millimetres in length.
Ormsby previously pleaded guilty to a charge of injuring with intent to injure, a charge which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ jail.
But defence lawyer Kylie Pascoe argued there were strong mitigating factors, including Ormsby’s assistance provided to the man, which lessened the sentence.
Crown prosecutor Cherie Clarke supported the recommended sentence of community detention and intensive supervision, describing the offending as ‘‘a strange set of circumstances’’.
Referring to a victim impact statement, Judge Hikaka said the man found the incident ‘‘pretty traumatic’’ at the time, but he had since moved forward. ‘‘He does not want to see you go to prison, and he appreciates that you regret what happened.’’
Judge Hikaka said the aggravating features of the offending, such as the use of a weapon, the extent of harm suffered, and that it happened in the home, needed to be matched against the whole circumstances of the situation. ‘‘The victim had grabbed you by the throat.’’
Ormsby was remorseful, showed insight and had ‘‘a real enthusiasm’’ for taking part in rehabilitative programmes, Judge Hikaka said.
He sentenced her to a three-month term of community detention and 15 months of intensive supervision.