Man jailed for stabbing officer in face

An Auckland man who stabbed a police officer in the face has been jailed for six years and 11 months.

Rangi Potaka-Alexander has been sentenced on a number of charges, the most serious that of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

They relate to an incident in August last year, when after an altercation with a woman, he lunged at a police constable in his patrol car with a 30 centimetre kitchen knife.

The officer managed to grab the blade and deflect the knife, which in the process cut his cheek and hand.

Justice Woodhouse said it was a manic attack, and that he accepted evidence Potaka-Alexander told the constable he was going to kill him.

In a victim impact statement, the officer described how when he saw the knife his heart dropped, and he had an overwhelming sense it was his end.

Justice Woodhouse said the attack was seriously life threatening, even though the eventual injuries were not.

Photo: NZ Herald