Papua New Guinea national, miner, Ellaine Reggy Ameki jailed for stabbing partner in neck at Byron Bay

A Papua New Guinea national and travelling miner who stabbed her girlfriend in the neck with a kitchen knife in a Byron Bay home before attacking her again weeks later has been jailed.

Ellaine Reggy Ameki has been sentenced at Byron Bay Local Court. Picture: File

A Papua New Guinea national and travelling miner who stabbed her girlfriend in the neck with a kitchen knife in a Byron Bay home before attacking her again weeks later has been jailed.

Ellaine Reggy Ameki, 35, previously pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, common assault, reckless wounding, intimidation, two counts of damaging property and two counts of breaching an apprehended violence order before her sentencing in Byron Bay Local Court on Tuesday.

Appearing in custody via visual link, Ameki watched on as Magistrate Danielle Mansour read through the police facts.

Ameki had been in a relationship with the victim for five years, it was heard in court.

On July 19, Ameki and the victim were arguing at the victim’s home when Ameki took the screen door of its tracks because she was “angry”.

Ellaine Reggy Ameki told the victim she was going to kill her, the court heard.

Ameki pulled a knife out of a knife block and the victim said “don’t do this” before Ameki told the victim “I’m going to kill you.”

The victim was in a “vulnerable position” lying on her stomach on the ground with Ameki on her back when the offender stabbed her near the neck, the court heard.

The victim later told police Ameki had hit her in the forehead with the knife butt.

She (the victim) was taken to hospital with facial bruises.

Ms Mansour said the offending was a breach of trust.

“The victim clearly loved you and the manner in which you returned these affections was by way of alcohol fuelled violence – in your own words – to teach her a lesson for disrespecting your mother,” she said.

The court heard there was a second incident which again took place at the victim’s home just two weeks later. Witnesses were present.

Ms Mansour said as a result of the second incident, Ameki had breached an AVO while on strict bail conditions.

The outside of Byron Bay Court House. Picture: Savannah Pocock/NewsLocal

“You yelled at her and you hit her,” she said. “You damaged the victim’s phone, you continued fighting with her. Once again you were on top of her throwing punches while she was trying to protect herself from you,” the magistrate said.

Ms Mansour said Ameki had a supportive family and a great relationship before things went “horribly wrong”.

“Your mother’s passing has caused you to spiral into alcohol-abuse and criminal behaviour,” she said.

“You have insight into your offending while still putting some blame on the alcohol and the victim,” she said.

Ameki received a 25 per cent discounted sentence for her early guilty plea and was sentenced to jail for 18 months, backdated to her arrest in August.

Her sentence carries a non-parole period of 10 months.

Originally published as Papua New Guinea national, miner, Ellaine Reggy Ameki jailed for stabbing partner in neck at Byron Bay