Man hits pregnant partner and rescuer

‘‘[A sentence of supervision was] ‘‘the only way I can be sure you are being given the tools to ensure this kind of offending never happens again’’.

Judge Joanna Maze

A Pleasant Point man slapped and wrestled with his pregnant girlfriend, then repeatedly punched in the head another man who came to her rescue.

Tom Lee Hancock, 23, was sentenced to 125 hours’ community work and six months’ supervision, and ordered to pay $8230 reparation when he appeared before Judge Joanna Maze in the Timaru District Court on Thursday.

Hancock had admitted assaulting a person in a family relationship, common assault, and two counts of obtaining by deception.

The assault was triggered by an argument between Hancock and his girlfriend at an address in Main Rd, Pleasant Point, about 11pm on May 27.

‘‘She pushed you off the bed. You cut your eyebrow as you hit the door,’’ Judge Maze said.

Hancock retaliated by tipping over the television, before slapping the woman – who was six weeks pregnant with their second child – and shoving her onto the bed. She yelled for help when he tried to grab her, alerting a visitor to the address who came into the room and pulled him away from her.

She ran to the kitchen to call police, but Hancock – who had followed closely behind – took the phone from her and stated she was not calling anybody.

Police prosecutor Toaiva Hitila, in a summary of facts to the court, said the visitor attempted to distract Hancock.

‘‘The defendant turned and elbowed him in the face. He threw [him] to the ground and punched him in the face multiple times,’’ Hitila said.

‘‘The complainant [Hancock’s girlfriend] felt the only way to pry the defendant from [the other man] was to place him in a chokehold, which ended the altercation.’’

Judge Maze said: ‘‘I recognise there are risks with a chokehold but I must also recognise the circumstances.’’

The woman was left with sore ribs, thigh, and eyebrow, while the male victim suffered abrasions across his lower back and knee.

About a month prior, on April 27, Hancock used a fake Facebook profile to arrange to purchase a Holden Commodore for $4230, creating a false bank receipt to prove he had transmitted the money.

Hitila said when the money had still not come through a day after Hancock picked up the car, his victim took the receipt to the bank where he was told it was false.

‘‘The vehicle has since been recovered. It has been damaged since the complainant owned it and needs mechanical work on the engine.

‘‘In explanation, the defendant stated he saw the Commodore parked on the side of the road with a ‘for sale’ sign on the window,’’ Hitila said.

‘‘When questioned again later, he claimed that a friend of his set up the sale of the vehicle and informed him if he collected it he could keep it.’’

Hancock used the same ruse to obtain a Nissan Terrano listed for $4000, picking it up from the owners’ Ashburton address on June 9.

‘‘Later that day, the defendant swapped the Nissan Terrano for a Holden Commodore,’’ Hitila said.

Judge Maze said a sentence of supervision was ‘‘the only way I can be sure you are being given the tools to ensure this kind of offending never happens again’’.

‘‘Your lifestyle, your use of alcohol, and your attitudes all contributed to the offending.’’