Pregnant woman punched

A Hamilton man beat up his pregnant partner then punched out his own father when the older man tried to intervene.

‘‘This was behaviour that was the most cowardly I have seen in a long time,’’ Judge Noel Cocurullo told Richee Rob Richards, 26, before jailing him for 13 months recently.

Richards was sentenced in the Hamilton District Court after earlier pleading guilty to two charges of injuring with intent to injure, one of wilful damage and one of breaching his supervision. The main charges stemmed from an incident on September 11 at Richards’ home in Silverdale, where he and his partner had been arguing throughout the day.

Although it was not recorded in the police summary of facts, it was revealed by the judge that she was pregnant at the time. By about 8.36pm the altercation had intensified where the frightened woman had locked him out of the house. He responded by smashing two windows to get back in. His victim attempted to hide in a bedroom but he quickly barged in and, as she curled into a ball in a bid to protect herself, began violently assaulting her with numerous punches to her head and chest.

At that point his father arrived on the scene and stepped in. The older man declared he was going to phone the police and went outside to do so. Richards followed and a heated exchange took place, which culminated when he felled his father with a punch to the left side of his head, which rendered him unconscious.

‘‘Your behaviour is disgraceful,’’ Judge Cocurullo told him, adding that in addition to funding his remand in custody, taxpayers had also footed the bill for his medical costs, as well as the cost of treating the injuries of the people he had attacked.

It was a chiding that riled Richards, who clenched his fists with his arms by his sides while glowering directly at the judge.

At that point the judge interrupted his sentencing.

‘‘Do you have a problem with what I’m saying to you?’’ he asked Richards.

‘‘You act out in the dock and you will get extra for contempt of court. You might want to settle down.’’

‘‘I’m mumbled.

‘‘I’m sorry?’’ asked the judge. ‘‘I’m just hurt to hear this,’’ Richards replied more clearly.

hurt,’’

Richards