Man fakes accident, attacks partner

Court on Monday. A summary of facts said Neil had been at his partner’s address in Blenheim on April 16 when an argument developed between the pair.

During the argument he pushed the victim, causing her to land on her bed. She then attempted to leave the property, but Neil went to the back of her vehicle and pretended to be run over.

When she went check on him, he stood up, grabbed her and threw her to the ground. Neil grabbed her neck with his left hand and grabbed a handful of her hair with his right hand, yanking her hair back with enough force to rip out a clump of hair. He then began to drag her along the driveway, causing a graze to her left knee.

After she retreated to her vehicle, Neil reached through the driver’s window and grabbed her cigarettes, before punching her in the face. She then fled the property.

As a result of the incident, the victim suffered a sore back and neck and bruised cheek bones. Her head was also tender from hair being ripped out.

Before sentencing Neil, Judge Richard Russell referred to the victim impact statement, saying ‘‘she was upset that you hurt her in front of her 11-year-old daughter, and she’s gone on to say how much the injuries have affected her’’.

‘‘On any view of it Mr Neil, this was simply a dreadful assault on someone that’s entitled to trust you because you were in a relationship together,’’ he said.

The judge reminded Neil that the maximum penalty for each assault charge was two years in prison and said the court had zero tolerance for family or domestic violence. ‘‘You are, I think fortunate, that although the victim has suffered some physical injuries, there won’t appear to be lasting physical consequences for what you’ve done,’’ he said.

The judge sentenced him to 100 hours’ community work and 18 months’ intensive supervision, which included numerous conditions such as having to attend an assessment for a stopping violence programme and an assessment for problem gambling.

Neil was ordered to make an emotional harm payment of $750 to the victim, which the judge hoped would, ‘‘in a small way, compensate the emotional harm that she’s suffered’’. A protection order was put in place, meaning Neil could not associate with or contact the victim without prior approval of a probation officer.