A man brutally slashed his ex-wife’s throat multiple times at a McDonald’s after he threatened to distribute a nude photo of her during a bitter divorce dispute, a court has heard.
Mitesh Kumar, 45, appeared in Auckland High Court in New Zealand on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to attempted murder and two counts of failing to carry out obligations under search powers.
In a sickening attack, Kumar repeatedly slashed his wife with a utility knife at a McDonald’s in the Auckland suburb of Wesley earlier this year.
Horrific details of Kumar’s evil actions have been laid bare after the agreed summary of facts were released in court this week.
Married for 18 years, Kumar and his ex-wife had two children before going their separate ways in February last year.
Prior to the January 11 attack, it had been four months since Kumar’s ex-wife had seen her children.
The pair agreed to meet at the McDonald’s, where Kumar’s ex-wife had expected to be reunited with her children, Stuff reported.
Armed with a utility knife hidden in a trouser pocket, Kumar entered the McDonald’s and sat at a table after ordering a drink, according to the agreed summary of facts.
Mitesh Kumar, 45 appeared in court on Wednesday for the attempted murder of his ex-wife at a McDonald’s in Wesley (pictured) in Auckland’s south-west on January 11
Kumar’s ex-wife called him from outside and said that she couldn’t see the children with him.
He convinced her that the children were across the road and she could wait for them inside the McDonald’s.
As Kumar waited for his ex-wife, he removed the utility knife, which had a retractable blade, and hid it under his left leg.
Kumar’s ex-wife entered the restaurant and sat opposite him.
The agreed facts state Kumar questioned his wife about accepting a lower settlement offer as part of their divorce, and she replied that she didn’t want to talk about that.
Kumar then showed his ex-wife a nude photo of her on his phone, which had been taken a year earlier.
He then threatened to show people the photo if she didn’t accept the lower settlement offer.
His ex-wife attempted to leave before Kumar stood up, removed the hidden knife, lunged forward and grabbed her.
The agreed facts then describe the horrific attack.
‘Using the knife, the defendant slashed across the left side of the complainant’s neck/throat three times,’ the facts stated.
Kumar pushed her and she fell backwards over a table, before he pushed her again and she was trapped in a corner.
He stood over her, grabbed her by the hair and slashed the left side of her neck/throat another three times.
Members of the public and McDonald’s staff pleaded with Kumar to stop.
Kumar was taken to the Auckland City Police Station where he told police his ex-wife wanted too much money in the divorce settlement (stock image)
Kumar showed them the knife and said: ‘Don’t stop me, just stay away.’
He continued his attack despite witnesses attempting to intervene, while his ex-wife tried to protect herself.
‘You’ve wrecked me life…you’ve lost my kids,’ Kumar said to her in Gujarati – a language native to the state on the west coast of India.
As Kumar briefly paused the attack, his ex-wife attempted to sit up, but then he continued to repeatedly stab and slash at her neck, throat, upper body and back of her head.
His ex-wife attempted to protect herself while huddled in a corner.
Kumar paused the attack twice when the knife malfunctioned, but he continued.
As members of the public confronted him again, Kumar yelled: ‘I want her to die, you can call the police.’
Kumar only stopped his attack when the police arrived almost eight minutes after the attack began.
His ex-wife was rushed to hospital with multiple penetrating wounds to her upper chest area, throat, left ear, neck and the back of her head.
Following Kumar’s arrest, he refused to provide police with the passwords and PINs to his phone.
He continued to decline even after he was warned it was an offence to refuse.
Kumar told police his ex-wife wanted 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 was remanded in custody until his sentencing on November 5.
