Hand severed in machete attack

A man’s hand was severed as he tried to fend off a machete attack from his daughter’s former partner.

Emergency services were called to the small coastal community of Taieri Mouth, south of Dunedin, after Shaan Roker severed a man’s left hand with a machete on February 21. The victim required extensive surgery to reattach his hand.

The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to charges of grievous bodily harm and assaulting a female in the High Court in Dunedin yesterday. A charge of attempted murder was withdrawn.

Roker, who appeared via video link before Justice Gerald Nation, lost his interim name suppression bid.

The police summary of facts said Roker was staying at the victim’s home when the incident occurred.

That morning an argument started between Roker and his former partner, and mother of his two children, over Roker’s alleged drug use.

The woman’s father, who uses crutches to move about, returned home at 11.45am.

He told Roker to leave the house and offered to drop him off in Dunedin, but Roker attempted to hit him on the head.

The victim managed to overpower Roker and pin him to the ground. He again asked Roker to leave.

Instead Roker ran from the house and collected a large machete from his belongings. He raised it above his head and ran at both victims.

Roker aimed for the victim’s head, but the man used his hands to protect himself. The blow severed his left hand.

The man’s daughter shielded her severely-injured father.

Roker stopped the attack and the pair shut themselves in the bathroom, pushing their weight against the door to stop him from entering.

Roker continued to rant and smashed a window in the bathroom door with the machete. The woman called 111. Roker started to calm down and entered the bathroom to give first aid.

He initially denied the allegations of assaulting his former partner. The court granted protection orders for both victims. The man’s long-term prognosis was not known.