Dunedin District Court
A DOMESTIC incident in which a man threatened to shoot a woman in the face and pointed his loaded air rifle at her chest and throat area, brought the man for sentence in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.
The man aimed the air rifle for about 10 seconds. The victim backed away. The man fired the air rifle into the floor near their feet, the court heard.
James Robert Christie (40), painter, had been convicted of threatening the woman grievous bodily harm, and recklessly discharging an airgun.
He had accepted a sentencing indication and pleaded guilty.
Reviewing the facts, Judge Michael Crosbie said Christie and the 26yearold victim had been living together ‘‘off and on’’ for about five years.
About 5pm on October 27 last year they were at the victim’s home with their respective children.
The two began arguing then went into the bedroom to continue the argument away from the children.
The victim said she had had enough and told him he was to move out.
She began removing his property from a wardrobe and placing it on the bed.
Included in the property was a highpowered air rifle belonging to Christie, and ammunition pellets.
Christie picked up and loaded the air rifle.
Fearing he was about to selfharm, the victim tried to take the air rifle from him.
Christie threatened to shoot her in the face.
He pointed the air rifle at her chest and face area, aiming it there for about 10 seconds.
The victim backed away with her hands up trying to placate him. He was about 1.5m from her.
He fired the air rifle into the floor near their feet.
Knowing the air rifle would have to be reloaded, the victim fled the bedroom.
She was not injured in the incident.
In explanation, Christie said he ‘‘saw red’’ and just wanted to scare her.
Public defender Andrew Dawson said the relationship between the two was over.
The judge noted Christie admitted he had overreacted, was deeply remorseful and under stress at the time. Christie’s only previous matter was drinking in a public place, he said.
The victim did not want emotional harm reparation. She just wanted to move on, the judge said.
Christie was sentenced to five months’ home detention and, after two months, he has leave to apply to have the balance converted to community detention and supervision.
Other convictions
A Jay Lewis Cherrington (32), of Dunedin, Crimes Act male assaults female offence against woman with whom had been in onemonth relationship at the time (argument resulted in Cherrington punching left side victim’s forehead causing eggshaped lump), Atkinson St, about 5pm, February 23, 12 months’ intensive supervision (with judicial monitoring).
A Nathan David Ferguson (38), driver, of Brighton, breaching community work, April 1, and breaching supervision, May 31, both sentences cancelled, new ninemonth term supervision.
A Daniel CooperWillis (20), of Dunedin, breach of community work (sentenced to 250 hours in November 2017 for cannabis charges, CooperWillis failed to show up, asked to attend a meeting with Probation, failed to attend and provide an explanation, Probation attempted to reengage defendant through letters and phone calls, since charge laid CooperWillis had completed the hours), May 27, convicted and discharged.