Dunedin District Court

‘‘THIS was a fall off the wagon’’, counsel Chris Lynch said at the sentencing of a 55yearold man in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

The man was deeply embarrassed and ashamed. What appeared to be very much a ‘‘one off’’ incident. The man took full responsibility for what he did, Ms Lynch told Judge Kevin Phillips.

Patrick Gordon Mason, of Dunedin, had admitted a Crimes Act male assaults female offence against his partner; intentionally damaging a tyre on her car; and possessing a knife in public without reasonable excuse, on June 9.

The police summary said Mason and the victim had been in a relationship for about six years.

On June 9, about 7pm, the victim was at his home. He and the victim had been drinking alcohol and had an argument.

To avoid further argument, the victim went to bed.

Soon after, Mason pulled the blanket from her and told her to leave.

He was verbally abusive and left the room then returned with a knife, which he showed her, yelling he was going to stab her car tyres.

After stabbing the car’s left rear tyre, causing it go to flat, Mason went back into the house, put the knife away and went back to the bedroom.

As the victim went to leave the room, he pushed her and slapped her several times before grabbing her face with one hand, holding her by her cheeks and pushing her.

He kept yelling at her and demanding she give him her car keys.

She gave them to him and left. He followed, throwing her clothes on to the road.

The victim used a spare key to get into her car and drove away.

Ms Lynch said Mason and the victim lived in separate homes. Mason freely admitted his behaviour on the night was wrong. He and the victim wanted to continue their relationship but would remain living separately, she said.

The judge accepted Mason had made major positive changes since his offending when much younger.

He had had no convictions since a drinkdrive offence in 2011 and was to be commended for the work he had put into his community, the judge said.

For assault, Mason was sentenced to three months’ community detention (curfewed 7pm7am daily) and nine months’ supervision. The two other offences resulted in shorter, concurrent, terms of community detention.