Jail for Ashburton woman who fatally plunged 12cm knife into partner’s head

“It penetrated his skull… estimated wound depth was 13-15 cm.

“(Richardson) pulled out the knife two or three seconds later. She got out of the car, slammed the door, walked to the fence and got rid of the knife by throwing it into the tall grass.”

Richardson claimed Hemi stabbed himself in the head.

The knife was never found.

At the end of the trial, the jury found Richardson not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter.

Richardson was sentenced this morning by Judge Cameron Mander.

He received victim impact statements from Hemi’s mother, Hemi’s grandfather and the mothers of his three children.

Hemi died just two weeks after the birth of his youngest child.

“They all share the same sadness, trauma and pain. Mr Hemi was deeply loved by his family and whānau and we miss him very much,” the judge said.

“His mother will never get over the loss of her son. His children will never have a father again and will have to grow up without him.

“You have caused deep, lasting harm. No sentence I can impose can alleviate their loss.”

Judge Mander said the offence committed by Richardson had a number of aggravating features, including the use of a weapon.

“If it were not for the use of such a deadly instrument, which you had a habit of carrying with you, Mr. Hemi clearly would not have died,” he said.

“The use of a knife involves an attack to the back of his neck and head. Because of the sensitive area where you struck Mr. Hemi, the outcome of such an attack could have, as in this case, catastrophic consequences.

Hemi’s “sensitivity” was also an important factor.

“This factor was not present in the traditional sense, given Mr Hemi’s age, physical size and disability, but I accept that in a seated position he would have been facing forward and would not have been armed,” the judge explained.

“The position and angle of the wound indicate that the attack from behind took him completely by surprise.”

The jury also heard that Richardson and Hemi had an “abusive” relationship.

“You tried to describe Mr Hemi as having a split personality and that Mr Hemi could be aggressive and abusive at times and loving and supportive at other times,” Judge Mander said.

“That may have been true, but it’s largely anecdotal. To some extent, that description reflects what other witnesses have observed about you as a couple and how not only he but both of you behaved toward each other.”

Before Judge Mander could make a sentencing decision, it was necessary to take into account Richardson’s age and personal circumstances.

She was 19 when Hemi died and had no prior criminal record.

Her childhood was filled with “deprivation, neglect and abuse from her family.”

“Drugs, particularly marijuana and alcohol, and gangs were part of your everyday life as a young child. It required state involvement, which began when you were still an infant,” the judge said.

“Domestic violence was common and accepted in your parents’ relationship. You moved frequently and started taking drugs at a very young age.

“You were in an abusive relationship when you were a teenager, at which time you started using methamphetamine. You managed to get out of that relationship and moved to the South Island where you met Mr Hemi.”

“These aspects of your background have no direct bearing on your actions in killing Mr Hemi. However, in a wider sense there is some connection between your circumstances and views at the time of this offence and your upbringing and early life experiences, which included exposure to domestic violence and a lack of social support,” Judge Mander told the offender.

“Your limited agency and ability to make lifestyle choices clearly caused you to become dependent on Mr Hemi in an abusive relationship that clearly mirrored many of your life experiences.”

A pre-sentence report based on interviews with Richardson revealed that she “immediately regretted her actions” following Hemi’s death, but has since “refused to accept responsibility” for his death.

“Because you continue to deny the offence in the face of overwhelming evidence, there is no scope for any remorse for the harm you have caused,” Judge Mander said.

After considering all the factors, the judge sentenced Richardson to four years and three months in prison.

It did not set a minimum prison sentence.

Anna Leask is a Christchurch-based reporter covering national crime and justice. She joined the Herald in 2008 and has worked as a journalist for 18 years, with a particular focus on domestic violence, child abuse, sexual violence, homicide, mental health and youth crime. She writes, hosts and produces the award-winning podcast A Moment In Crime, which is published monthly in nzherald.co.nz