Breakfast in bed not enough for Haast man

File Photo / NZ Herald

A Haast man was sentenced to nine months' supervision and ordered to pay his former partner $500 for emotional harm after being convicted of an assault.

John George Edward Duberly, 49, had defended charges of assaulting his former partner on April 13 and 27.

The complainant said that the first offence involved Duberly putting her in a headlock, frogmarching her down some steep steps and pushing her into their guest homestay where he placed both hands around her neck before apologising and saying that he loved her.

The second assault occurred after they argued about a missing tv remote.

The woman had brought them both breakfast in bed but they argued when they could not locate the remote to turn the tv on.

Fearing another episode of violence she took her breakfast into another room but returned later to tell Duberly his behaviour had been unacceptable.

He grabbed her, pinning her hands by her sides and marched her to the door before tossing her into a passage.

She landed on her knees, skinning one and a cup of coffee she was carrying spilled on the floor and up the wall.

Duberly then dragged her into another room where he kicked her on the left shin before shutting the door and refusing to let her out.

When she ran to the window to scream for help he dragged her back, pulling down some curtains in the process.

Constable Bill Parker took photos of marks on the woman's shin and knee and noted that the curtains were torn down in a spare room, and a lamp had been knocked over.

Duberly said that the first incident was a figment of the complainant's imagination and the second had been blown out of proportion.

She had inflamed the situation by tossing a phone at him and suggesting he see a psychologist.

She refused to leave so he pushed her out the door and slammed it after her.

Judge Alastair Garland, said that Duberly had effectively admitted guilt on the second charge by agreeing that he threw the complainant from the room.

As there was doubt about the first charge he invited police to withdraw it, which they did.

Duberly and the complainant had been living together for eight months.

- The Greymouth Star