A Christchurch man has been jailed for eight years for the manslaughter of a man, killed with "the savage use of a knife" in a street fight last year.
At the sentencing in the High Court at Christchurch today, Justice Graham Panckhurst imposed a minimum non-parole period of four-and-a-half years for Baz Michael Edmonds, 40.
Justice Panckhurst said Edmonds had committed a serious crime - not much removed from murder. The killing involved "the savage use of a knife", he said.
The jury at his trial found Edmonds not guilty of murder but guilty of the manslaughter of Andre James de la Mare, 41.
The court had been told that after a domestic dispute at his home, Mr de la Mare went to Edmonds' home asking to hide there from police on August 25 last year.
Edmonds' partner ordered him to leave but Mr de la Mare refused and a fight developed with Edmonds.
The prosecution said Edmonds stabbed Mr de la Mare nine times, including two chest wounds that were "inevitably fatal", according to evidence from a pathologist.
The defence said that Mr de la Mare produced the knife and Edmonds disarmed him before the multiple stabbing during a struggle in the driveway and across the road where Mr de la Mare was found dying.
Defence counsel Elizabeth Bulger said the jury rejected self-defence but decided that there was no murderous intent, and that the injuries happened during a struggle.
Edmonds was remorseful, and had written a letter to the family and friends of Mr de la Mare apologising for what had happened and telling them he was sorry for their loss, she said.
Justice Panckhurst said Edmonds had no previous convictions for violence, and his pre-sentence report was positive, with a low risk of future re-offending.
