Couple are committed but violent
A couple’s violent relationship has threatened both their lives, but they remain determined to stay together, a court heard.
Eruera Tanmare Mohi and his girlfriend are both aged 23 and have been together since the age of 14. They have been the subject of numerous police call-outs.
Last September, she stabbed Mohi in the chest, leaving him with life-threatening injuries.
Six months later, when he had recovered, he choked his partner almost to unconsciousness.
Despite their toxic relationship and warnings from the probation service about Mohi’s ‘‘high’’ risk of causing future harm to the victim, they plan to reunite.
For now though, Mohi is behind bars, after being jailed for two years on domestic violence charges.
This week, the Hawera District Court was given a glimpse inside the couple’s fraught relationship.
Judge Garry Barkle said that in September last year, Mohi went to the victim’s home in Hawera, South Taranaki.
After he worked out she wasn’t home, the defendant climbed through an open window.
When she returned, the couple argued and Mohi punched the victim in the chin, the judge said.
As she tried to leave, the defendant attempted to stop her by wrapping his arms around her head and neck.
In an attempt to defend herself, Barkle said the victim went to the kitchen and picked up a knife. She then stabbed Mohi once in the chest.
As a result, Mohi’s lung collapsed and he was rushed to Waikato Hospital in a critical but stable condition, where he underwent surgery. She was charged with wounding with reckless disregard.
While on bail and after recovering from his own brush with death, Mohi went back to the victim’s house on March 20 and seriously assaulted her before he broke her cellphone in an attempt to stop her from calling for help.
Barkle said Mohi arrived at the house about 10.30pm but refused the victim’s repeated requests for him to leave.
‘‘You told the victim you were not going anywhere,’’ Barkle said.
The couple then went to sleep in different areas of the house. About 6.30am the next day, Mohi became angry and starting yelling.
He grabbed the victim from behind and started to choke the victim, to the point where she struggled to breathe.
This went on for about one minute until the victim said she was about to ‘‘black out,’’ Barkle said.
Mohi broke the victim’s phone and dragged the woman into a bedroom, but let go of her when he saw their four-year-old son had woken up.
The judge said the victim then locked herself in the bathroom until Mohi left the house.
About 5pm, as the victim dropped a family member off at an address, Mohi saw her and jumped into her car.
The couple went to the Hawera McDonald’s restaurant and an argument began.
Mohi then threw his drink at the victim, hitting her in the face. Barkle said the victim threw her drink in retaliation and then called police.
Mohi previously pleaded guilty to charges of male assaults female, assault with intent to injure, wilful damage and breaching a protection order five times.
He also pleaded guilty to breaching an intensive supervision order.
Lawyer Alice Vickers said Mohi accepted he would be sent to jail for the offending.
She said he wanted to address his anger and violence and he planned to reconcile with the victim when he got out of jail.
‘‘His hope is that the relationship will work out,’’ Vickers said.
Barkle said in the victim’s statement to the court, she described Mohi as ‘‘really scary’’.
‘‘The violence has calmed down but he still scares me when he gets angry,’’ her statement said. ‘‘I just want him to get the help he needs.’’
Barkle said Mohi’s probation report outlined how he had little insight into his offending and spoke angrily at times about the victim. ‘‘Generally you minimised your offending and blamed her,’’ Barkle said.
The report also assessed Mohi has been at a high risk of reoffending and of causing future harm to the victim, he said.