Family violence: Dunedin business leader avoids conviction for ‘cruel’ attack on partner

A Dunedin man was granted name suppression and has avoided conviction for 'serious' family violence. Photo / Getty Images

WARNING: This story discusses family violence offending and may be distressing.

A Dunedin man was granted name suppression and has avoided conviction for “serious” family violence offending after his lawyer said it would bring his employer into disrepute.

The man appeared in the Dunedin District Court last week before Judge Emma Smith, who said he should be ashamed of his “cruel” actions towards his partner.

Since the charges of assault in a family relationship and speaking threateningly were laid, the man had disclosed all the details to his employer.

He subsequently faced disciplinary proceedings.

Because of sweeping suppression orders, the Otago Daily Times cannot name the defendant or reveal the nature of his employment.

The man held a leadership role at a Dunedin institution and faced “ongoing consequences for his entire career” if he received a conviction, counsel Brendan Stephenson said.

“A conviction will bring the [organisation] into disrepute,” Stephenson said.

“No, it won’t. They have big shoulders,” Judge Smith said.

Representatives from the organisation attended court in support of the man and the judge said she could understand their distress.

At 11.30pm on April 21, an argument about finances broke out at the man’s family home and he pushed the woman on to the couch.

He grabbed her by the neck and pushed her to the ground, before hitting her in the face up to three times.

He then hit her with a spatula and rolling pin, court documents said — though the defendant disputed that aspect.

On a phone call to the victim’s family, the man said he would kill her “and they would never find her”.

The woman received some swelling and bruising to her right cheekbone, a bruise on her arm and marks on her chest.

Stephenson conceded it was “serious offending” but applied for name suppression on behalf of his client, saying if the man lost his job, he would likely struggle to gain employment elsewhere.

The man had since attended 13 Stopping Violence sessions and learned better coping strategies to “stop things getting out of hand”, the court heard.

“Essentially, his position is that he failed as a husband and a father,” Stephenson said.

A restorative justice meeting was held between the couple and the judge said the man had shown “clear and utter remorse.

“Your wife acted with incredibly good grace to you ... She is desperately worried about the fracturing of your family.”

Judge Smith did not enter a conviction on the charges and suppressed the man’s name, occupation and place of employment due to concern for his family.

“He is so identifiable. I find it incredible that we should visit harm on victims and children,” she said.