Blenheim teen denies knifepoint robbery of woman

A Blenheim teenager has admitted assaulting a woman with a knife, but says he was not using the knife to rob her.

Dylan Joseph Dredge, 19, pleaded guilty to seven charges but denied a charge of attempted robbery at the Blenheim District Court on Monday.

The charges relate to a series of events after Dredge spent several hours drinking alcohol on June 30.

He got angry with the woman on a trip to Rarangi Beach, and told her to walk back to Blenheim, but she refused, a police summary said.

So Dredge drove her back to his room at the Top 10 Holiday Park in Blenheim, reaching speeds of up to 180kmh on State Highway 1 and swerving across both lanes.

At Dredge’s room at the holiday park, he grabbed the woman and threw her onto the bed.

He punched her in the head about 10 times, yelled abuse at her and said he was going to kill her, put her in a sleeper hold and tried to choke her.

Then Dredge went to the kitchen, took a steak knife from the drawer and stabbed the bed, narrowly missing the woman’s leg and damaging the bedding.

He then ‘‘scraped’’ the woman’s right shoulder with the knife, the summary said.

Dredge admitted assault with a knife, assault with intent to injure, threatening to kill, dangerous driving, drink-driving, wilful damage and driving while suspended, appearing in court via video.

However he denied a charge of attempted robbery and elected trial by jury.

Dredge was granted bail and had to live at a Nelson address.

He was forbidden from entering Marlborough except for court appearances or to visit his lawyer, and from contacting the woman.

He would reappear on August 14.