Queenstown District Court

A QUEENSTOWN man who punched and kicked his wife has been granted final name suppression to protect her identity.

The man appeared in the Queenstown District Court yesterday for sentencing on charges of assault with intent to injure, and using a telephone (using profane, indecent or obscene language) with the intent of offending the recipient, both on May 5 in Queenstown.

He had admitted the charges and was convicted on June 10.

Judge John BrandtsGiesen said the couple were at home about 11pm on the day in question, when police officers carried out a welfare check after a friend of the victim raised concerns.

After police left, the defendant, who was intoxicated, accused the victim of having called the police. As she lay on the floor in the foetal position, he punched her on both sides of her face, then repeatedly kicked her body.

Early the next morning, he made seven phone calls to the police communications centre, during which he made ‘‘offensive and derogatory’’ comments to the call takers.

The defendant’s wife had been severely traumatised, and their relationship was over.

The defendant had a conviction of a similar nature from about a decade earlier.

Judge BrandtsGiesen said he was granting the defendant final name suppression solely for the victim’s sake.

He sentenced him to six months’ community detention, and 12 months’ intensive supervision, with judicial monitoring, to address violence and drug and alcohol issues.

He also ordered him to pay the victim $800 for emotional harm.

Dishonesty offences

Christopher Rhys McGregor (27), driver, of Lake Hayes Estate, admitted charges of theft of a trailer (value less than $1000), February 2226, in Tapanui; receiving a dinghy, outboard motor and lifejackets (value $2250), between January 1 and March 7, in Queenstown; receiving a winch, ratchets and strops (value $2360), February 1415, in Queenstown; receiving a steel box and portable fuel pump (value $650) between February 8 and March 7, in Queenstown; and receiving a motorbike (value $800), between December 25 last year and March 7, in Queenstown.

All the items were found at his mother’s Lake Hayes Estate home on March 7 when police carried out a search warrant.

He was sentenced yesterday, after being convicted on June 10, to eight months’ home detention, during which he must undergo assessment and treatment to address drug and alcohol and gambling issues.

Damaged computer

Jayden David Taylor (19), electrician, of Arrowtown, was at the reception desk of Base Backpackers, Queenstown, about 1.30am on July 21, when he threw a computer from the desk on to the floor.

He was intoxicated, and when police arrived, became agitated and ran away. He was chased and caught on Marine Parade. A search of his body revealed some MDMA (ecstasy) in his wallet.

He was sentenced as follows: wilful damage of a desktop computer, $1200 reparation; obstructing police, fined $200 and court costs $130; possession of MDMA, fined $300, court costs $130.

Taylor was also sentenced on a charge of refusing to permit a blood specimen, on November 19 last year, in Queenstown, for which he was found guilty and convicted at a judgealone trial on June 10. For that he was fined $1000, court costs $130 and disqualified for eight months.

Spoke threateningly

Adam John Chestnut (37), of Arrowtown, was sentenced to 100 hours’ community work for speaking threateningly to Douglas Magni Post, on July 5, in Queenstown.

The pair were known to each other having previously worked together for about four months.

On the day in question, Chestnut sent a social media message to Mr Post that threatened violence.

On July 19, he sent another message to the victim, saying an associate was coming to see him in six hours, and he ‘‘shouldn’t be at home tonight’’, and then went to see him.

The victim went to the police station to lay a complaint and Chestnut was trespassed.

When spoken to by police, Chestnut said since the victim made him lose his job, he wanted to make him feel as bad as he did.