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Offender Databases May Rawiri

May Elizabeth Celia Rawiri

Alias

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Offences

Attempted murder by stabbing her daughters partner in Christchurch in early 2006
Previous convictions for alcohol related offending, resisting and assaulting police

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1964

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 4 years with parole eligibility 16 months in December 2006

Background
NZ Lawyer 7th December 2006
A Christchurch woman says she is ready to address alcohol issues which led to her fighting with her daughter's partner, then stabbing him in the back of the head with a kitchen knife. Getting counselling and treatment may mean May Elizabeth Celia Rawiri, 42, being sent to Arohata Women's Prison in Wellington, away from her family. At her sentencing in the Christchurch High Court today, Justice John Hansen said she had drunk a "staggering" amount of alcohol on the night when the incident took place at her home. The victim received a small wound to the back of the head, and knife wounds to his upper chest and hand as he spun to confront her. The pair had fought about 30 minutes before the stabbing.

Justice Hansen said he had no doubt she had provoked the incident, but he said the victim, Robert Thompson, had over-reacted by knocking her down twice. The jury rejected her claim of self-defence for the later knife attack and convicted her of attempted murder. She had told the police she hoped she had killed Mr Thompson, and even in her interview with the probation officer before sentencing, she said, "he deserved it". Defence counsel Patrick Butler said she now acknowledged her alcohol problem and was willing to do something about it. She was deeply sorry for the offending and for the split it had caused in the family. Justice Hansen said that having heard the evidence at the trial of home drinking bouts and violence, the victim had "over-egged the sauce a little bit with his victim impact statement"

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Corrections and Additional Information
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