Murrays Bay stabber told police he was controlled by Satan

A man who stabbed four people in a rampage on Auckland’s North Shore told police “Jesus had rejected him” and his actions were controlled by Satan, a court has heard.

Last June, the 41-year-old was charged with assault using a knife and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following the incident in Murrays Bay.

The stabbings, in the quiet beach suburb, took place over the span of a few minutes.

On Friday, the now 42-year-old was found not guilty by reason of insanity by Judge Pippa Sinclair at the Auckland District Court.

About 11.10am on June 23, a woman answered the door of her Murrays Bay home to see the man holding a 20cm kitchen knife, the court heard.

She was rushed by the man, who held the knife above his head and stabbed her in the upper chest.

The man ran towards the beach, where he tried to stab another person. They managed to dodge the blows and escaped uninjured.

The man then ran towards another woman. She tried to get away from him, but was stabbed in her back.

A couple sitting on a park bench were also approached from behind and stabbed.

The man then tried to stab another woman, who screamed when she saw him running towards her, wielding a knife.

The man, who has interim name suppression, used a beachside walkway to flee about 1km to neighbouring Mairangi Bay, where he was taken down by construction workers.

They hit him so hard with a metal walking crutch that it snapped in half.

On Friday, the man appeared via a remote link from the Mason Clinic, a secure psychiatric facility.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/300827007/murrays-bay-stabber-told-police-he-was-controlled-by-satan