A woman who stabbed a taxi driver in Christchurch has been sentenced to more than three years in prison.
Auckland woman Rangimaria Sellars pleaded guilty to the stabbing last year, which critically injured the driver.
The 46-year-old was sentenced at the Manukau District Court in Auckland to 40 months’ imprisonment today. That included a discount for pleading guilty early.
On October 10, the victim went to a fast food restaurant on Memorial Ave about 10.30pm to find help after being stabbed several times. The restaurant owner said staff administered first aid until emergency services arrived before the driver was transported to hospital.
Police arrested Sellars in a nearby hotel 15 minutes later.
Executive director Warren Quirke told RNZ in November that independent taxi operators were at the highest risk of violent attacks, because they did not have backup to support them during such incidents.
Legislation introduced in 2011 required cameras to be installed in all taxis, following the murders of two taxi drivers in Auckland and Christchurch.
The Transport Minister said he was appalled by the stabbing. Simeon Brown said taxi drivers and public transport workers should be able to go about their jobs without fear of violence.
He said proposed changes to legislation would lead to harsher penalties for those who targeted taxi and bus drivers.
rnz.co.nz
