Man jailed for five years

Press, 18 April 1981, Page 2

Man jailed for five years

PA Wellington A' Dannevirke man who fatally stabbed his de facto wife ’of eight - years was jailed for five years on a charge of manslaughter when hfe appeared for sentence in the High'Court at Wellington this week. Mr Justice Ongley said he would give Terence John Myers, aged 29, a labourer, what credit he could for his previous good record but the courts’ and the community’s disapproval of domestic violence of this kind must be shown. Myers had been found not guilty of the murder of Mariata (Sissy) Cooper, aged 36, at Dannevirke on November 22 but guilty of her manslaughter when he appeared in the High Court at Palmerston North. His Honour said that although there had been criticism, of the woman’s conduct in the course of Myers’ trials, she had not deserved her fate. It was apparent that she had drunk excessively, but so had Myers.

It was of little relevance now that Myers had often got the worst of things in the violent relationship between them.

He had chosen to remain her companion voluntarily for eight years, and, for some reason on that night had stabbed her with a. knife and she had died, although the jury found that he had not meant to kill her.