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Source: ONE News
An Auckland man is on trial for the attempted murder of a police officer he allegedly stabbed in the face with a 30cm knife.
Rangi Paul Potaka-Alexander, 23, is accused of rape, sexual violation, attempted murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The High Court at Auckland was told yesterday that Potaka-Alexander raped a woman at a Te Atatu house on Friday, August 26, 2011.
The woman, testifying by closed circuit television, described him drunkenly sexually assaulting her and pursuing her through the house.
When she tried to hide in the bathroom he kicked the door off the hinges and continued assaulting her, dragging her through the house by her hair, she said.
She managed to escape down the road and ask a neighbour to call police.
A patrol car arrived with a single police officer and the woman said she got in the passenger seat and told the policeman what had happened.
Crown prosecutor Yelena Yelavich said while they were talking, Potaka-Alexander appeared and got into the back seat of the police car with a large carving knife.
She said he stabbed the officer in the face and the pair then wrestled with the knife, the officer sustaining wounds to his hands from grabbing the blade.
The officer escaped the car but when he attempted to pull Potaka-Alexander out and handcuff him another fight ensued.
He got one handcuff on but Potaka-Alexander got the upper hand and pinned the officer's head to the ground with his foot.
Potaka-Alexander then put the other handcuff on himself and sat in the back of the patrol car.
Yelavich said while he was being transported to prison he threatened to kill another officer.
The perverting the course of justice charge related to letters and calls Potaka-Alexander made to his alleged victim from prison, trying to get the charges dropped.
The trial, before Justice Woodhouse and a jury, will continue hearing evidence from the alleged victim today.