A woman who was stabbed by her partner does not hold a grudge; she just wants her mate back, she says.
Lauree Vicki Thompson (40) appeared in the Dunedin District Court last week after pleading guilty to wounding with intent to injure.
Despite her girlfriend having suffered a stab wound to her shoulder the pair met at a restorative justice conference.
Thompson’s apology was accepted by the victim, who said the episode was “done and dusted”.
She urged the court not to jail the defendant and expressed dismay at the way the system had “thrown the book at her”.
The couple were living at the same property on October 5, the court heard, but had separate bedrooms.
For weeks leading up to the incident, Thompson had stopped taking her prescribed medication and she decided to confront the victim about sharing feelings.
She wanted the woman to show more commitment to their relationship, she said.
The conversation quickly became heated.
The victim told Thompson her “heart hurts”.
It was soon to be another part of her body experiencing pain.
Thompson got on top of the victim and put her hands around her throat as she lay on a bed.
While the woman tried to repel the attack, the defendant spat at her and struck her about her body.
And the verbal exchange continued.
Thompson then grabbed a kitchen knife that had been in the bedroom and plunged it into the victim’s shoulder.
The victim locked herself in a sleepout and packed her belongings before driving to hospital to seek treatment for the puncture wound, the court heard.
The police only became involved when the victim enlisted their help to retrieve the remainder of her belongings.
Thompson, when interviewed, said she did not remember committing the stabbing but one of her “other personalities” could have done it.
Defence counsel Cate Andersen said her client was now committed to addressing her mental health issues.
Judge Jim Large noted the women wanted to maintain contact and he would not stand in the way of that.
He accepted Thompson had shown clear remorse for her actions.
She was sentenced to eight months’ home detention and given a first-strike warning under the three-strikes legislation.
