'Disturbing': Repeat offender sentenced to prison after violently throttling woman, drugging her

Executive Producer - Wellington Mornings·Bay of Plenty Times·

9 Mar, 2022 02:45 AM4 mins to read

A repeat Tauranga offender has been again convicted of a raft of violence charges, and will be spending the next four years in prison. Photo / NZME

Warning: Distressing content

A violent abuser who drugged and strangled his partner to the point of unconsciousness told a court that his violence was justified, despite eventually pleading guilty to a list of abuse charges.

Tauranga man Kingi Tokona was sentenced to a term of four years and nine months imprisonment on Tuesday after a spree of violent offending that saw him repeatedly attack the woman.

The prolonged violence resulted in six charges, which included two of assault with intent to injure, one of assault with a weapon, two of injuring with intent to injure, and a single charge of strangulation.

Tokona was also convicted on a single charge of possession of explosives, after police found shotgun ammunition in Tokona's home in June 2020.

The majority of charges relate to a four-day period in December 2020, where Tokona subjected his victim to multiple assaults.

According to the summary of facts, on December 16, Tokona drove into a Tauranga car park and pulled the victim from the vehicle by the hair. Tokona hit and kicked the woman by the head, before forcibly taking her home.

When at the property, Tokona took the victim inside, locked her in a room and again kicked her in the head repeatedly, before hitting her with a bat to the stomach and the legs.

Tokona then drugged his victim with Quetiapine - an antipsychotic medication typically used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The drug caused the victim to fall asleep for hours at a time.

Later, the victim escaped by pretending to need to use the toilet.

A week and a half later on December 31, the victim was staying away from Tokona at her mother's address. Upon realising she was there, Tokona travelled to the property and climbed through a window. He then throttled the victim.

Tokona then hit her in the eye with his elbow, leading to the victim losing consciousness. She suffered a fractured eye socket as a result.

The final incident of violence occurred on January 7, 2021, when the victim was at a friend's property.

While at the address, Tokona stood up and began attacking her - throttling her to the point of unconsciousness twice.

Once again, Tokona took the victim home and locked her in a room, before she escaped through a back door and travelled to the hospital where she was treated for a broken finger and swelling to her neck.

He was later charged by police, originally pleading not guilty. He later pled guilty to all charges on the day of his trial last year.

In determining the appropriate sentence for the offending, Tauranga District Court Judge Thomas Ingram said that all indications are that the accused was at high risk of violent offending if left in the community, and the only sentencing option was a term of imprisonment.

"Rehabilitative programmes may be of some assistance, and it would be appropriate that you serve a sentence of imprisonment," Judge Ingram said.

"You have a significant propensity for violence, and although you have shown some remorse, you believe your violence was justified. That is quite disturbing."

The Judge also pointed to Tokona's previous history with Tauranga's Westside Outdogs gang, although accepted that the offender had distanced himself from gang activity in recent years.

Acting for the defendant, lawyer Bill Nabney submitted that Tokona experienced a disruptive upbringing with physical and sexual abuse, as well as utilising drugs at a young age, which should be taken into consideration when handing down a sentence.

In total, Tokona was sentenced to four years and nine months imprisonment, which took into account reductions for both totality, the eventual guilty plea and Tokona's background.