A Whakatāne man has been sentenced to community work after assaulting his partner and stabbing the tyres of a car.

Tom Hunt, 28, pleaded guilty in Whakatāne District Court on Wednesday to assault of a person in a family relationship and wilful damage of a Mazda Axela.

Sergeant Ian Dodds said an estimated $1200 in reparation would be required, but Hunt’s lawyer Kylee O’Connor said Hunt had already paid $900 reparation to the victim through his sister.

Charges of assault via stabbing and assault with a blunt instrument, namely a potato masher, were withdrawn in exchange for the guilty pleas.

Ms O’Connor told the court Hunt had no previous convictions involving violence, and alcohol was a causal factor.

She said Hunt had since engaged in counselling regarding his alcohol issues and was 81 days sober.

“He has spent three months away from his family and children, and had time to reflect on how his partner was affected at the time, particularly as they have not been able to spend Christmas together as a family,” she said.

Judge Lawson said the incident started from Hunt becoming angry and starting to verbally abuse those around him.

“You ended up striking her with a potato masher.

“You’re shaking your head, but it’s in the summary of facts you accepted, so I have to consider it for sentencing,” he said.

Judge Lawson said Hunt had taken a positive step towards addressing his alcohol issues and had issued an apology to his partner.

“You need to understand, people go to jail for striking their partners with weapons,” he told Hunt.

Hunt was sentenced to 80 hours’ community service and six months’ supervision.

He was ordered to pay $1200 reparation unless evidence was provided that the previously mentioned $900 had already been paid to the victim.

Guilty pleas entered

A Kawerau woman has entered guilty pleas to a series of drug charges.

Louise Paget, 43, appeared at Whakatāne District Court on Wednesday to plead guilty to supplying methamphetamine, possessing meth for supply, and dealing meth.

She was also charged with driving while disqualified and possession of meth, to which she previously pleaded not guilty.

A charge of supplying cannabis was withdrawn by the prosecution.

On the guilty pleas, Paget was remanded until March 5 for sentencing.

On the remaining charges, she was remanded until January 24 for case review.

Bail address check ordered

A Taneātua man has been granted bail after Judge Bill Lawson ordered a fast turnaround check of a proposed address.

Bryan Wana, 53, was in custody but seeking bail on charges of verbally threatening to kill, threatening to kill with a firearm, possession of meth and possession of cannabis plant.

Judge Lawson told police prosecutor Sergeant Ian Dodds he wanted the proposed bail address checked the same day.

The address was approved by police before 1pm, and Judge Lawson granted bail to Wana with a curfew of 7pm until 7am, conditions to not contact the complainants and not consume alcohol or drugs.

Wana was remanded for plea until January 30.

Dangerous driving

An Ōpōtiki woman has pleaded guilty to a series of charges related to her dangerous driving in Ōhope.

Tyneya Shaw-Huriwaka pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to remain stopped for police, two counts of driving in a dangerous manner, two counts of recklessly causing injury, and failing to stop to ascertain if an injury had occurred.

The incident on November 7 was a result of dangerous driving on Pohutukawa Avenue, leaving two people injured.

Shaw-Huriwaka was remanded until March 13 for sentencing.

Guilty to assault

A Hamurana man has pleaded guilty to two assaults in Kawerau.

Raine Kaipara-Hohepa, 19, was convicted of two counts of assault of a person in a family relationship and wilful damage of a Nissan motor vehicle.

The two assaults involved separate victims.

Kaipara-Hohepa was remanded until March 19 for sentencing.

Chased partner with knife

A man has been sentenced after injuring his partner during a fight.

Hirini Te Runa, 33, was convicted of breaching post-detention conditions, assault of a person in a family relationship, and injuring with intent to injure.

His lawyer, Whare Hika, said Te Runa requested a sentence of imprisonment with no release conditions.

Judge Lawson said he did not understand this request and refused to grant it.

He said Te Runa had been with the victim for one-and-a-half years when an argument broke out, resulting in the defendant shoving the victim’s head into the edge of a baby bath.

He then chased the victim with a knife, and the assault resulted in knife wounds to the victim’s forehead.

The judge said Te Runa was subject to home detention at the time of offending, and the assault was a response to the victim attacking Te Runa.

“You say as the man you should have known better.

“In the family context, she was vulnerable, and the victim impact statement makes it clear she’s had enough of being harmed by you, and that’s justified.”

Te Runa was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment and six months standard and special release conditions.

‘Incredibly high reading’

An Edgecumbe man has been sentenced after driving with 1234 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

Arnie Clay, 36, was charged with driving while disqualified and driving with excess breath alcohol.

He was pulled over on Horrocks Avenue and breathalysed, returning a reading almost five times the legal limit. The legal limit for driving is 250mcg.

Sergeant Ian Dodds said this was “an incredibly high reading”, and Clay’s last conviction of this nature was in 2021.

Judge Lawson disqualified Clay from driving for 28 days before completing an interlock sentence.

“No matter how much you think you can handle your alcohol, with that amount in your system you are a danger to yourself and, more importantly, to the community,” Judge Lawson said.

Clay was sentenced to 15 months’ intensive supervision and 80 hours of community work.

Excess breath alcohol

Nathan Howe attended court for sentencing for an excess breath alcohol charge from Kaikoura.

He pleaded guilty to driving with excess breath alcohol.

He had previous excess breath alcohol convictions in 2020 and 2010, and a conviction of impaired driving in 2012.

On this occasion, Howe was caught driving with 955mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.

“At that level you are a risk to yourself and the public,” Judge Lawson told Howe.

Judge Lawson sentenced Howe to six months of supervision, 50 hours of community work and disqualified him from driving for 12 months and one day.