The attack happened in a McDonald's in Auckland's Mt Roskill. Photo: RNZ / Lucy Xia
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A man's vicious attack and attempted murder of his wife in an Auckland McDonald's during their separation earlier this year has been described in court documents.
Mitesh Kumar appeared in the High Court at Auckland on Wednesday morning, pleading guilty to attempted murder and two counts of failing to carry out obligations under search powers.
The 45-year-old Auckland man stabbed and slashed his partner multiple times with a utility knife at a McDonald's restaurant in Mt Roskill in January.
Court documents reveal Kumar entered the McDonald's alone, after concealing the knife in his pants pocket.
He had arranged to meet his wife, whom he had been married to for about 18 years before they separated, with the promise that he would bring her two children with him.
Kumar had not seen her or his children in four months prior to the attack.
His wife arrived outside the restaurant and called him when she saw the children were not present.
Police at the scene. Photo: RNZ / Lucy Xia
He convinced the woman to come into the restaurant, saying her children were across the road.
Kumar's wife entered the McDonald's sitting opposite him at the table, when he began asking the woman to accept a lower divorce settlement offer, something she did not want to talk about.
At this point, Kumar revealed a nude photograph of his wife he kept on his phone, saying he would show others the photo if she did not accept the lower offer.
As his wife attempted to leave, Kumar stood and lunged forward with the knife.
He slashed the woman across the left side of her neck and throat three times, pushing her over a table, and breaking it in the process.
Kumar stood over his wife, grabbing her by the hair as she struggled to her feet, slashing her in the same place a further three times.
Bystanders and McDonald's staff pled with him to stop.
"Don't stop me, just stay away," replied Kumar, threatening the onlookers with his knife.
He continued to attack his wife, holding her down while he slashed at her neck and body.
Kumar spoke to his wife in Gujarati, telling her she had wrecked his life and lost his children.
There was a pause, and Kumar's wife tried to sit up before he continued stabbing and slashing at her neck, throat, upper body and the back of her head, while she held up her arms in an effort to protect herself.
Kumar stopped to adjust his knife, before continuing his attack.
Court documents said he suffered a mechanical failure and paused to fix it.
His wife was unable to push him away, as Kumar overpowered her, slashing yet again at her neck.
He paused and took out a new blade from the handle of his utility knife, replacing the one he was using to attack his wife.
Kumar slashed at the woman's neck and throat four more times, pausing to take deep breaths, before attacking once more.
Others in the restaurant tried to talk to Kumar, as he screamed at them that his wife has ruined his life.
"I want her to die, you can call the police," he told them.
He attacked several more times, targeting his wife's neck thrice more, before a member of the public intervened with a chair.
The attack lasted seven minutes and 44 seconds.
Kumar only stopped after police arrived.
His wife suffered multiple penetrating wounds to her neck, throat, left ear, the back of her head, and her upper chest area, as well as multiple lacerations and defensive wounds to her hands and arms.
Court documents reveal that her injuries were so severe, she needed to be admitted to theatre so they could be repaired.
Meanwhile, Kumar was taken to Auckland City Police Station.
He told authorities his wife was asking for too much money in the divorce settlement.
"If she dies, and I go to jail, everything goes to the kids.
"That is the motive."
Kumar has been remanded in custody until sentencing in November.
