Bit off part of woman’s cheek

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A woman likened her partner to a caveman when she described to Gisborne District Court how he bit off part of her cheek during an assault.

Aaron Ross Groube, 30, was jailed for 25 and a half months after pleading guilty to a reduced and representative charge of injuring with reckless disregard (punishable by up to five years imprisonment).

The victim told the court she and Groube were socialising and drinking alcohol the afternoon of the incident.

They went to a bedroom together to have sex but Groube started rambling and talking nonsense.

She tried to leave but he struck her in the jaw about 15 times 'like a boxer punching a speedball'.

She heard cracking noises coming from her mouth. She was too scared to move or defend herself.

He stopped suddenly, putting both hands on his head and yelling 'this is wrong'.

But then he pinned her to the floor with his full body weight, grabbed her face with both hands and bit down hard on her cheek.

He thrashed her head back, ripping the skin from her face, then spat it out.

It was 'like a caveman eating meat', she said.

It caused a large circular wound.

The woman managed to release Groube's grip on her by biting his thumb.

Groube later told police he could not recall what had happened.

He had been too intoxicated and was in a 'blind temper'.

Judge Cathcart noted Groube had been the subject of 12 family harm incidents, three of which involved this complainant.

This attack on her was a brutal one, calculated to demean her.

The sentence took into account the 'unique and incredible' feature of Groube biting the woman's face.

That was 'disturbing and disquieting', the judge said.

He also considered the woman's vulnerability in being alone with Groube while he was angry, violent and likely under the influence of methamphetamine.

Reports before the court spoke about Groube's use of the drug.

The victim, who was in the public gallery, asked to address the court.

She insisted this incident did not involve meth.

Mitigating factors taken into account by the judge included those outlined in a mental health report — Groube's traumatic childhood and early exposure to alcohol and other drugs.