Violence appeal fails

A man who choked his partner until she passed out, then threatened to do it again despite her pleas, has failed to have his jail sentence reduced.

Jesse Ariadne Newton was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court to two years and three months’ prison for a variety of offences, including assault with intent to injure and threatening to cause grievous bodily harm.

A recent appeal judgment, when High Court judge Justice Peter Churchman declined to reduce Newton’s sentence, outlines his offending.

He and his partner of seven years had a history of family violence problems before he went to her property in October.

They had an argument, during which Newton threw her on to a bed, grabbed her around the throat and squeezed until she passed out. She told Newton she could not breathe when she regained consciousness, but Newton responded by threatening to choke her again.

She managed to escape, while he drove away.

Newton’s other offending included driving while disqualified and possession of cannabis oil.

The judge who sentenced Newton said they could not think of a worse threat to cause grievous bodily harm than threatening to choke someone he had just strangled to the point of passing out.

Newton has a history of violent offending, including taking a baseball bat to his sister’s boyfriend after hearing there may have been domestic violence in that relationship.

He sought home detention for his latest crimes, but that was declined, with Churchman finding jail time was not excessive.

The sentencing judge may have started a little high, but the reductions toward the final sentence took it within a proper range, Churchman said.