All Black’s wife ‘haunted’ by attack
A man who punched the heavily pregnant wife of All Black Charlie Faumuina has been sentenced to 10 months in prison, with leave to apply for home detention.
Robert Moka, 47, was taken into custody following his sentencing in the Manukau District Court on Tuesday morning.
However, his defence counsel Esma Brown said she was hopeful he would avoid jail, as long as they could find a suitable address where he could be electronically monitored.
At the sentencing, Moka’s children cried and swore at the judge from the public gallery. Moka was sentenced on charges of male assaults female, reckless driving and intentional damage, relating to the incident in south Auckland on October 23, 2014.
The court heard Moka, a father of 10, was being driven by his daughter on Mangere’s Massey Rd when his daughter was allegedly cut off in traffic by Rachelle Faumuina. They drove after Faumuina and his daughter tooted the horn and made gestures toward her car. Faumuina parked in a side street, where Moka’s daughter caught up with her and exchanged more words. Faumuina then drove off, hitting Moka’s daughter with her car. Moka’s defence counsel Esma Brown argued that was when Moka saw red.
‘‘He was in a calm manner [prior to that] but his demeanour changed once his daughter had been hit,’’ she said.
Moka picked up his injured daughter, put her in the passenger seat and gave chase to Faumuina. The court heard he was driving recklessly and veering onto the wrong side of the road before cutting Faumuina off, forcing her to stop.
Judge John Bergseng said Moka then went to Faumuina’s driver’s door, leant through the window and punched her in the forehead.
In her victim impact statement Faumuina said the attack was ‘‘still haunting’’ her.
‘‘She describes suffering countless days of migraines, loss of vision, [and] vomiting,’’ Judge Bergseng said.
Judge Bergseng said that Faumuina was vulnerable, she had her young child in the back seat of her car and she was 38 weeks pregnant.
The court heard Moka has prior convictions for male assaults female. Reports submitted to the court also indicated that he had shown no remorse, Judge Bergseng said.