Dad-of-three faces 36 abuse charges

A father who allegedly bashed his three children with a machete and cricket bats during a three-year reign of terror is facing eight years behind bars.

Police allege the 43-year-old West Auckland dad frequently beat his three children, now aged between 6 and 14, with garden rakes, tree branches and metal pipes from a vacuum cleaner.

When one of the children tried to run away, the father chased him into traffic and he was struck by a car.

The man appeared in the Waitakere District Court on Friday for a sentencing indication where his wheelchair-bound wife broke down in tears as the 36 charges against him were read out. He cannot be named to protect the identity of the children.

The father turned on his 8-year-old son by whacking him with the flat part of a machete while he was sleeping, causing him to fall off the top of his bunk bed on to the floor where he continued to beat him.

Police said the boy had to miss school for a month after a large bruise became infected.

Crown lawyer Sarzana Nizam suggested the father be imprisoned for 7 to 8 years. His counsel Trunelle Massyn argued a sentence of 3 years would be more appropriate.

In February last year, he allegedly slapped his 14-year-old in the face before pushing him up against the wall and strangled him while yelling, "I'm gonna kill you. I'm gonna squeeze the living shit out of you".

During the next two months he allegedly whipped the same son with a garden hose and a computer wire, and bashed him with a metal pipe from the vacuum cleaner.

He then held him in a choke hold and scratched his face.

Court documents revealed that in April last year, the son was hit by a car outside his home while being pursued by the father.

Police claimed the boy wasn't hurt in the accident so got up and continued to run. But the father got into his car and chased his son along a street in Massey where he ran him down before grabbing him by his hair and dragging him into the car.

When they arrived home, the father allegedly threw him on to the couch before beating him with a garden hose across his legs, hands and stomach.

Judge Lisa Tremewan said the family lived in an over-crowded house with little money.

The children were taken away by Child, Youth and Family and are now in the care of their step-sister.