Refugee marks 10 years and 40 crimes

A Somali refugee now living in Northland has racked up 43 criminal convictions since arriving in the country about a decade ago.
Ahmed Abdi Jama, 30, came to New Zealand in 2000 as an asylum seeker and has subsequently been granted permanent residency.
He has been clocking up on average four criminal offences a year. But Immigration New Zealand says the threshold before a permanent resident is deported is high and even higher for those granted citizenship.
In his latest brush with the law, Jama again beat his partner - just a week after being released from prison for an earlier assault on the woman - and their 2-year-old daughter. 
Jama pleaded guilty in the Whangarei District Court this week  to  threatening to cause grievous bodily harm, assault with intent to injure, assaulting a child, resisting police and wilful damage.  The court indicated he was looking at a prison term of 18 months.
Judge Keith de Ridder said Jama woke up in a bad mood and started yelling at his partner and daughter about 12.30am on April 4.  His terrified  partner and  daughter locked themselves in another room and barricaded the door.
Jama kicked a large hole in the bottom of the door, pulled his partner out of the room and punched her with both fists. He held her by the hair and tried to strangle her.
Judge de Ridder said Jama then went back into the room where his daughter was screaming and slapped her across the face.
He turned to to the woman and said: "If you call the police, I'll snap her [the daughter's] neck."
Jama was arrested and, while being taken to a police car, he repeatedly attempted to slip the handcuffs. 
Jama had 38 previous convictions before his latest court appearance.
Defence lawyer Shaun Russell said the relationship between his client and the woman had ended and he asked the judge for leave for Jama to apply for home detention if a suitable address was found.
Judge de Ridder said that, to make matters worse, Jama was sentenced to one month imprisonment by the Dargaville District Court in March for a previous assault on his partner.
Immigration NZ said no person who has been recognised as a refugee in New Zealand could be removed or deported unless permitted by the Refugee Convention.
"Given that the person would be deported or removed to a country where they may face persecution, these articles set a very high threshold which must be reached in order for removal or deportation to be allowed."