- This article describes the murder of a woman in an act of extreme family violence and may be distressing for some readers.A man bombarded his former partner with thousands of calls, messages and texts after she ended their relationship, then went to her house and stabbed her 13 times.The fatal stabbing came just weeks after Lance Dickinson searched the internet using the phrases "lawyer Taupō" and "how long jail for murder".Now the 28-year-old has been jailed for life, with no parole possible for 17 years, for murdering Cheri-Lee Bell.At his sentencing in the High Court at Rotorua on Thursday, Justice Pheroze Jagose said Dickinson and his victim met as teenagers at Tongariro College in Tūrangi and were in a relationship for 12 years.He killed her early on 20 June last year, after entering her home uninvited, and in the presence of a child and Bell's teenage sister.Dickinson and Bell had two children together.In response to escalating family violence from Dickinson during the latter part of their relationship, Bell obtained a protection order against him in December 2023.She then ended the relationship in April 2025.In defiance of the protection order, Dickinson kept pestering Bell, sending her messages and going to her workplace, her parents' house and her home in Tūrangi.He accused her of seeing other people and, when asked repeatedly to leave, said to her, "Just tell me the truth", and "I just want to be a family again".Justice Jagose said Dickinson's calls, messages and texts to Bell numbered in the thousands, were made at all times of the day and night and were often abusive."They continued despite her requests you leave her alone. You threatened to stab and kill Ms Bell."On 30 May, 2025, Dickinson was released from custody on bail, after being charged with breaching the protection order.Over the next three weeks, he repeatedly breached his bail conditions by contacting Bell, going to her home, and defying a night-time curfew requiring him to be at his mother's house.Early on 16 June, he drove past Bell's house and took videos of a car parked in the driveway belonging to a friend she had invited to stay with her.He then parked in a neighbouring street, walked back to the house and entered unannounced.Justice Pheroze Jagose said he counted nine aggravating features in the murder of Cheri-Lee Bell.NZMEBell came out of the bedroom and found Dickinson hiding in the kitchen. They argued.He held her by the hair and repeatedly stabbed her with a knife in her chest, stomach, back, upper arm, wrist and hands, before making a final slash to her neck which severed her right carotid artery, trachea and oesophagus.Bell's sister, hearing her scream, came out of her bedroom to see Bell holding her neck with blood spurting between her fingers before collapsing to the ground.She died at the scene.The sister retreated to protect Bell's four-year-old child in the bedroom while Davidson ran to his car and drove to Taumarunui.He later told police he had gone to Bell's home to get their daughter.He said that, during the argument with Bell, he grabbed a knife but "then blacked out and did not recall what happened".The knife has not been recovered.Dickinson declined to be interviewed by a probation officer for a pre-sentence report, which had to be compiled using other information available about him.The report writer assessed that he carried a high risk of reoffending and a high risk of causing harm to others.She also said that, in the weeks before the murder, Davidson made internet searches for the phrases "how to track phone", "lawyer Taupō" and "how long jail for murder".This indicated the murder was "calculated, premeditated and planned".'Brutal and persisting impact'Justice Jagose said he had read multiple victim impact statements from Bell's parents, brother, sister and a friend."They painfully illustrate how your terrible actions removed a much-loved person from their own and her children's lives, with brutal and persisting impact on all of them and radiating out into the wider community."Some forgive you; some do not."He counted at least nine aggravating features in Dickinson's attack on Bell, meeting the criteria for extended jail time without parole beyond the minimum of 10 years for a life sentence for murder.These were his unlawful entry into the house, the actual violence, the use of a weapon, the attack to the neck, cruelty and brutality, offending while on bail, the family violence context, the breach of the protection order, the fear and distress caused, and the loss of life.He imposed the non-parole period of 17 years and, in addition to the life sentence for murder, a concurrent jail term of six years and nine months for multiple breaches of the protection order.Davidson was also given a first warning under the three-strikes law, which would limit his parole options should he offend again.Where to get help:Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reasonLifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friendsDepression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202Samaritans: 0800 726 666Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nzWhat's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-oldsAsian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, and English.Victim Support 0800 842 846.Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254Healthline: 0800 611 116Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155OUTLine: 0800 688 5463Aoake te Rā bereaved by suicide service: or call 0800 000 053If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.Sexual ViolenceFamily ViolenceWomen's Refuge: 0800 733 843.It's Not OK 0800 456 450.Shine: 0508 744 633.Victim Support: 0800 842 846.HELP Call 24/7 (Auckland): 09 623 1700, (Wellington): 04 801 6655.The National Network of Family Violence Services NZ has information on specialist family violence agencies.* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.Open Justice