Jealousy spurs knife attack

‘‘You were unable to cope after becoming jealous within a relationship.’’ Judge Joanna Maze

Jealousy spurred a former Southland woman to kick her partner between the legs and slash at him with a butter knife.

An argument erupted between Siobhan Lee Moran-Dennison and her partner over social media notifications from her sister lighting up his phone, escalating into violence at a Woodlands address in rural Southland on November 21, 2020.

The 19-year-old, now living in Waimate, was sentenced to three months’ community detention and nine months’ supervision after admitting charges of assault on a person in a family relationship, threatening to kill, and assault with a weapon before Judge Joanna Maze in the Timaru District Court yesterday.

Judge Maze said MoranDennison slapped her partner on the shoulder and when he enticed her to hit him again, she struck him in the same spot. He slapped her leg in retaliation.

She kicked him between the legs before grabbing a butter knife, tossing it at the man where he lay on his back on the bed.

‘‘You took the butter knife and threw it at him three separate times, striking him in the chest,’’ Judge Maze said.

‘‘You collected the knife and raised it above your head. You attempted to drive the knife towards the victim. He raised his legs in self-defence, and suffered grazes to his shin and hand.’’

Fearing for his safety, the man fled the house and called police when he was further down the road.

Police located MoranDennison, who had left the scene, a short while later.

Judge Maze said ‘‘immaturity is plainly a factor’’ in the offending.

‘‘You were unable to cope after becoming jealous within a relationship.

‘‘Kicking the victim between the legs, coupled with the use of a knife in a persistent way, is a significant matter.’’