Man admits bashing mum

After being forced to the kitchen floor by her adult son, a Taranaki mother endured a brutal attack as he repeatedly kicked her around the head.

While the afternoon assault on November 3 was taking place a woman arrived at the address and rushed in to defend the woman.

She knelt over the victim and shielded her head from Denham Hemi Hurunui’s bevy of kicks, the New Plymouth District Court was told.

The second woman was assaulted in the process, a police summary of facts stated.

Only minutes prior, Hurunui, 23, and his mother had been arguing over money. The pair were at her New Plymouth home where Hurunui was staying at the time. During the course of the argument, Hurunui got mad, claiming she had made fun of him, and so he threw a jandal at her face.

Following that the woman walked away and into the kitchen, the summary stated.

‘‘He then ran toward the victim and using his body slammed her into the fridge,’’ it detailed.

Hurunui then grabbed his mother’s arms and swung her around causing her to crash into the kitchen bench and fall to the floor. As she lay, he kicked her repeatedly in the head and back.

When the second woman hurried to help, she was also kicked by Hurunui.

Both women then got to their feet and moved to get away from Hurunui but he pushed the second woman, who then fell into his mother.

Hurunui was arrested at the address a short time after while his mother was taken to Taranaki Base Hospital for treatment. She suffered bruising to her chest and tenderness to her shoulder. The second woman also received bruising.

On Wednesday, Hurunui, who has not previously appeared before the court, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault on a person in a family relationship and one of male assaults female.

Judge Gregory Hikaka entered the convictions and referred the matter to restorative justice.

Hurunui will return to court on March 13 for sentencing.