Detention for stomping on teen girl's head

Seeing a teenage girl he knew, Cohen Waitere-Grant crossed the road, assaulted her and as she lay curled in a foetal position on the ground stomped on her head several times.

The 18-year-old encouraged his girlfriend, Hoana Poutu, 20, to join in the attack.

The pair were sentenced to community-based sentences when they appeared before Judge Bill Hastings in Masterton District Court recently having previously pleaded guilty to assault with intent to injure.

Waitere-Grant also pleaded guilty to two separate assault charges.

Defence lawyer for Waitere-Grant, Frank Minehan told the court his client had a chance of work in the shearing industry in the upcoming season which was about to start.

"It will give him income and discipline. I hope that can take place."

Judge Hastings warned the maximum penalty for this offence was three years' jail.

The court heard, on August 3 about 10.50pm the two convicted attackers were arguing as they walked along Bannister St when they saw the 18-year-old victim and a 14-year-old friend on the opposite side of the road.

"You ran and tackled her to the ground ... She was punched in the face and she fell to the ground where you kicked and stomped on her," the judge said.

The woman had to spend the night in hospital.

Then on August 19, Waitere-Grant was walking on High St North, Carterton, intoxicated after drinking 12 beers at home.

He approached a woman who was waiting for family and tried to talk to her but she declined and without warning Waitere-Grant punched her in the temple, causing her to stumble and her glasses to fall off.

A man at a nearby takeaway shop tried to grab Waitere-Grant but he punched the man in the back of the head twice and to his body twice.

A police officer patrolling the area saw the end of the assault and arrested Waitere-Grant, charging him with two counts of assault.

Judge Hastings said the pre-sentence report showed Waitere-Grant lacked insight into his offending.

"You minimised the violence you used to Probation."

The stomping on the head was an "aggravating feature", Judge Hastings said, while noting Waitere-Grant had no previous convictions.

"You have time on your hands. You are young."

He ordered Waitere-Grant to complete three months' community detention with a curfew between 7pm and 5am, along with 120 hours' community work "to give something back to the community".

His partner at the time, Poutu, had joined in the first attack because she believed the woman had had an affair with Waitere-Grant, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Peter Stevens said it was a result of the company "she was mixing with".

Judge Hastings said she was remorseful and had written a letter of apology.

He said she had accepted responsibility for her part in the incident and had no previous convictions.

She was ordered to complete six months' supervision and to complete drug and alcohol counselling as directed.