Kaikohe man sentenced to four years and seven months in prison for domestic violence

Appeared in court for criminal case Whangārei District Court He faces 22 serious domestic violence charges on Thursday.

at the hearing AugustThe court heard from the victims about the beatings they were subjected to with weapons such as extension cords, steel poles, glass and broomsticks.

One child’s head hit the wall so hard that it broke.

The mother was also attacked repeatedly for not doing what he wanted, and the Crown said it would not retaliate because it did not want the children to witness further violence.

The children reportedly disclosed the abuse to their aunts, uncles, and grandparents and they did nothing, and extended family members even witnessed him beating the youngest child but allegedly did nothing.

The father was arrested after one of the children came to school with new marks on his body, allegedly having been beaten with an extension cord.

When the girl showed her bruises to her teacher in an evidentiary interview, she responded, “That’s not healthy.”

Crown attorney Danette Cole told the jury that the father was often in a bad mood and could be irritated by even the slightest thing, such as the dishes not being done.

However, the defendant’s lawyer, Martin Hislop, said his client denied the abuse and the children were disciplined, but not to the extent they claimed.

However, while serving his sentence, he said he now regretted it.

“He was hiding from those in front of him… it was only after the hearings that he realized what he had put them through,” Hislop said.

Judge Gene Tomlinson said he was sorry for the man’s remorse and did not believe it.

During the sentencing, it was revealed that the man was subjected to systematic abuse by the adults assigned to care for him during his childhood, and this affected his adult years.

I’m not surprised you caused harm again and again. “I can’t help but question why you would do this, given your own history?” Judge Tomlinson questioned.

The victims did not make victim impact statements but Judge Tomlinson said it was clear at the hearing the impact their statements had had on them.

The man was sentenced to 4 years and 7 months in prison.

Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice, covering the courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. He is of Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has been working in digital media for the past five years. He joined NZME in 2023.