Luke Lambert has been sentenced to 13 years in prison on four counts of attempted murder over the stabbing attack inside Dunedin’s central city Countdown store.

In an unprovoked and random attack, Lambert viciously stabbed four people multiple times in the Cumberland Street store almost a year ago on May 10, 2021.

Lambert appeared before Judge Jonathan Eaton and all four of his victims in Dunedin's High Court, as well as their friends and family, at his sentencing on Tuesday.

Judge Eaton said Lambert’s attack “shocked the nation” and it was “miraculous” that no one was killed. The judge set a minimum term of 6.5 years in jail before Lambert will be eligible for parole.

Lambert sat in the dock with his head down for the majority of his sentencing, but did occasionally look at his victims when they were addressing him.

He declined the opportunity to speak.

One female Countdown worker has been granted permanent name suppression, and still suffers immensely from the attack.

She says the attack has taken her power away, and it’s taken almost 12 months to begin to get her strength back.

She concluded her victim impact statement by turning to Lambert and speaking at him through tears.

“Luke, I don’t feel anger towards you, I feel pity.

“I just hope you get the help you need. I’m not angry at you, I forgive you.”

Her colleague Dallas Wilson was also injured and was present in court but didn’t read a victim impact statement.

Husband and wife Jorge Fuenzalida and Vanessa Miller- Andrews were shopping at the time and were caught up in the attack when they stepped in to help.

Miller-Andrews says she no longer feels safe and is constantly on edge.

She told the court that Lambert is a dangerous man and needs to be off the streets.

“I’m concerned when he is released, he will have another day and history will repeat itself."

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Her husband told the court how the tragedy has changed his life and addressed his attacker directly, looking him in the eye as he spoke.

“I recall you stabbing my neck repeatedly and pleading with you to stop but you wouldn’t, I was pleading for my life.

“I could see it in your face that you wanted to kill me, you were on a mission to kill people that day and I was at your mercy,” Fuenzalida told the court, as Lambert appeared to bow his head and rub his eye.

The 61-year-old corrections officer and his wife have both been diagnosed with PTSD and regularly suffer from nightmares and anxiety.

Their wounds make simple tasks such as brushing their teeth, doing up their shoes or combing their hair difficult.

“Everything is different because of your actions; you have sucked the enjoyment out of my life,” Fuenzalida says.

Judge Jonathan Eaton told the court; if it wasn’t for the immediate response of work colleagues and shoppers, in particular the four victims, there is little doubt lives would have been lost.

Crown counsel Richard Smith commended the bravery of the victims who stepped into help and acknowledged all members of the public who helped save the four victims lives.

He described the attack as violent, persistent, and frenzied.

Fuenzalida says a series of factors including the supermarket being next to the police station, the availability of ambulances and being so close to the hospital, meant there was ample specialist medical treatment available to treat the victim’s life-threatening injuries.

“These factors literally saved minutes and these minutes saved our lives.”