Court told of terror in assaults
A man threatened to bury his partner in the backyard during a night of assaults that left her bruised all over her body.
He put her in a choker hold, lifting her off the ground as she struggled to breathe, dragged her by one leg across carpet, threw her on to a car bonnet and called her a crazy w .... , the Ha¯wera District Court heard.
The episode on July 3 began the evening before with an argument between Adam Ross Busby, 25, and his partner, about whether they should have dinner at his mother’s place, a police summary of facts said.
The victim was upset because Busby had been drinking before driving off at speed about
7.30pm. He returned home at
1am and drove his car into the garage, where the victim found him intoxicated and slumped in the driver’s seat.
She grabbed the keys and asked him what he was doing driving drunk.
Busby was angry and put her into a choker hold from behind by wrapping one of his arms around her throat tightly, the summary said.
‘‘He lifted her off the ground. She could not breathe or make a sound, and struggled to get away.’’
As she tried to escape, Busby threw her on to the bonnet of another vehicle and pinned her down by the throat.
He then threatened to kill her a number of times, saying: ‘‘I will f ...... kill you, if I wanted to kill you I could bury you in the backyard’’.
The victim felt very scared by these threats. Busby’s erratic behaviour continued throughout the night and she was too scared to try and sleep, the summary said.
Prior to daylight, Busby again became physical with the victim, pushing her down into a couch.
‘‘He then went outside and began yelling and carrying on, and yelled to the victim’s ex partner, who lived nearby to ‘‘come and get your crazy w .... ’’.
The victim followed him outside, pleading with him to go indoors as he was embarrassing her. The defendant pushed her inside and up against a kitchen bench.
‘‘She fell to the floor. She got up and tried to get away but he shoved her again so she fell onto her front. He grabbed her by one of her legs and began dragging her along the carpet.’’
The victim managed to get free and she tried to barricade herself in a bedroom.
She was able to call the police and Busby left the address.
The woman received bruising to her neck, jaw, breasts, both arms, left hip and her legs from the various and numerous assaults, the police summary said.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Steve Hickey said police had been called to disputes between Busby and his victim four times this year and once last year.
Busby pleaded guilty on Tuesday to charges of threatening to kill, assault with intent to injure and male assaults female.
Lawyer Julian Hannam said the charges arose from ‘‘one explosive incident’’ his client now deeply regretted.
Judge Chris Sygrove said the victim had submitted an updated statement saying she wanted to make the relationship work. The couple have a 10-month-old child.
‘‘The victim impact statement indicates she was very emotional and traumatised by what you did to her, although she has since updated her statement as you are getting counselling and states that she has no safety concerns in regards to you at the moment.’’
He sentenced Busby to nine months supervision with special conditions and four months’ community detention with a curfew from 6pm to 6am.