Man jailed for kidnapping ex-partner

A Tauranga man who kidnapped his ex-partner at knife point and assaulted her in front of their children has been jailed for more than five years.

Grant Waru Taite had his and the ex-partner's children, aged three to eight, in the back of the car when he arrived at her new boyfriend's house on January 28, Tauranga District Court was told this week.

The 41-year-old beneficiary from Welcome Bay went into the house, armed with a knife, and said he was going to kill the woman's new boyfriend, the Bay of Plenty Times reported.

When he couldn't find the man, he took his ex-partner and forced her into his car.

He physically assaulted the woman while driving her to Te Maunga, 9km south east of Tauranga.

When Taite arrived at some family land he let the children out of the car and drove the woman to a shack where he threatened to kill them both.

She was able to persuade him to take her back to their children, when police arrived and he was arrested.

Taite earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching a protection order and one charge each of wilful damage, aggravated burglary, kidnapping and a breach of community work.

In sentencing Taite to five years and three months jail, Judge Thomas Ingram said domestic violence was a "daily feature" of his professional life but this was one of most serious cases of its kind he had seen for some time.

The judge said he had little doubt Taite's children would have been "scarred for life".

- NZPA