Man made threat to kill ex-partner

A Timaru man has been found guilty of threatening to kill his former partner.

James Ken Edward Robinson, 42, defended charges of threatening to kill and wilful damage when he appeared before Judge Brian Callaghan in the Timaru District Court yesterday.

Robinson earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of contravening a protection order in relation to the incident on June 3, 2020.

The court was shown a video of his former partner giving evidence to police shortly after the incident.

The woman said she and Robinson had gone to her house, when an argument ensued.

‘‘He started yelling and calling me names, and pushed his chair forward which broke. I asked him to go, I was starting to get scared,’’ she said.

‘‘The more I try to talk to him, he gets angrier and angrier.’’

The woman said after she ordered Robinson out of the house, he became increasingly aggressive, and said he wasn’t going to leave.

The woman said he grabbed scissors and stood over her, making threatening comments and a stabbing motion with the scissors.

Robinson said he did brandish the scissors and made threatening remarks, but did so because he was ‘‘frustrated’’ that she threatened to call the police.

He said he had no intention of killing her.

Judge Callaghan found Edwards guilty of threatening to kill beyond all reasonable doubt, and not guilty of wilful damage in breaking the chair.

‘‘[Robinson] clearly has a tendency to act violently towards her, or property, when an argument escalates.

‘‘I’m satisfied the defendant threatened to kill, and (the woman) cowered. The woman was traumatised, and she was being truthful.’’

Robinson was remanded sentence. for