Man who threatened wife ‘needs help’

A man convinced his wife was being ‘‘serenaded’’ by his best friend has been slapped with a protection order after threatening to kill her.

While at home on the evening of Monday, April 2 Shane David Maddox sparked a conversation with his wife which quickly turned sour.

According to a summary of facts, the New Plymouth man accused his victim of being interested in another man.

She denied the allegations which apparently frustrated Maddox and led to him threatening to kill her.

The pair continued to argue until Maddox walked away while re-emphasising: ‘‘I’m serious, I will do it one day’’.

On Thursday, the 37-year-old appeared before Judge Chris Sygrove at the New Plymouth District Court where he pleaded guilty to one charge of threatening to kill.

Defence lawyer Turitea Bolstad accepted the summary of facts but said it lacked context. She said the couple had been experiencing some ‘‘ups and downs’’ in their relationship.

‘‘He sought some assistance with it from his church and from his friend,’’ she said.

‘‘And what’s happened is the friend has then taken the opportunity to serenade his wife, basically.

‘‘She tells Mr Maddox that, he has become upset about that and in response he has said what he has said.’’

Following the threat, Maddox apologised to his wife and explained he was upset, Bolstad said.

He had responded emotionally to the situation and was not going to act on the threat, she said.

Bolstad sought a sentence of supervision for her client in the hope he could be supported with his anger management.

‘‘He is saying that he would like some assistance with this.’’

Sygrove convicted Maddox on the charge and handed down a sentence of nine months’ supervision and issued a protection order against him.

‘‘You need to get some help and get on with your life,’’ he told the defendant.