Man jailed for seven years and six months' for abusing his ex-partner

The man was sentenced today in the High Court at Auckland. Photo / File

A man who physically and sexually abused his former partner has been sentenced to seven years and six months in jail.

The man - who has name suppression - had denied the charges: two of sexual violation, three of assault, two of assault with a weapon and one of threatening to kill.

But he was found guilty by Justice Timothy Brewer earlier this year.

Today, the High Court judge said a report writer had concluded the man showed no remorse for the offending and continued to deny it.

Five charges related to the night of January 19, 2017.

The man had chased the woman around the house with a knife, "tackled" her to the ground and then used death threats to force her into sexual acts.

The woman made a police complaint when the relationship ended in April that year.

The man's former partner - whose name is protected by law - spoke at the High Court at Auckland this morning.

"He stole from me, removing me of my financial security," she said.

"On top of that he verbally, physically and sexually abused me.

"The physical pain he has caused me pales in significance to the emotional damage he has caused me."

His actions had rocked everything she "held to be right and true in the world".

"I changed from a confident young woman to someone whose trust in people was completely broken," she said.

"I became so scared and fearful that the fear made me irrational about how he was able to hurt me even after the relationship was over."

Violence of any kind - sexual, verbal, physical or financial - cannot be tolerated and needs to be spoken about, she said.

Crown prosecutor Fiona Culliney argued at trial that the defendant had continuously manipulated and abused his partner during a short, toxic relationship. Photo / Brett Phibbs

She said she had struggled against shame and battled to speak about what happened.

But today she would walk away from court with strength, love, and an "amazing future" to look forward to.

The Crown case during trial had been that the man had continuously manipulated and abused his partner during their short, toxic relationship.

During the trial, defence lawyer Belinda Sellars QC had told the court it was clear her client had treated the woman badly and she was "essentially his meal ticket".

"He took her money, he was unfaithful and he repeatedly made promises that he did not keep," Sellars said.

The woman had very good reasons to be extremely upset and angry at him, Sellars said.

The defence conceded the relationship was abusive financially and emotionally but had argued he was not physically or sexually violent.

Justice Brewer, who has previously said the detail the woman gave about the traumatic night in January was convincing, called her statement today "dignified".

He sentenced the man to a period of seven years and six months in jail.