Parole denied: Man who beat partner unconscious to remain behind bars

Samuel Anderson has been denied parole but will come back before the board in January. Photo / Rob Kidd

A man who beat his partner unconscious then roused her just to continue the assault has been declined parole.

Samuel Anderson, 29, was jailed for nearly four and a half years for three months of domestic abuse, as well as selling Class B drugs, when he was sentenced in September 2019.

The man had a "severe" addiction to methamphetamine at the time, the Parole Board was told at a hearing last month.

While serving the sentence at Otago Corrections Facility, Anderson had completed the Drug Treatment Programme and done well, board chairman Sir Ron Young said.

The prisoner, who had served time behind bars following earlier domestic violence in 2014, had re-offended despite undertaking rehabilitative treatment during that stint.

Rather than have him repeat courses he had already done, Sir Ron requested a psychologist's report to consider what more could be done, particularly to address Anderson's tendency to violence. Until that was considered, he said, the inmate remained an undue risk.

Anderson had been in a relationship with his victim for only a few months when the violence started, the court heard at sentencing.

In February 2018, the couple argued and the man head-butted her, knocking her unconscious.

After splashing water in the victim's face to revive her, Anderson continued the brutality.

He punched her in the face, chipping her tooth.

Weeks later, Anderson took his then partner's cellphone as he left the house and threw her on to a bed when she objected.

Pinning her down, he pulled her fingers back, tried to gouge her eye, elbowed her in the face, slammed his knee into her tail bone, pressed the pressure points behind her ears and forced a pillow against her face.

At sentencing, the victim read a powerful statement in which she said she thought she was going to die and had since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

The relationship finally ended when Anderson tried to strangle the victim and she bit him on the arm, resulting in him seeking hospital treatment.

At a later meeting, the court heard, the defendant accused her of seeing another man and threatened to kill both of them, before punching her in the face several times.

Anderson told the board he was committed to attending any violence-prevention counselling.

He will next come before the board in January.

His sentence expires in August 2023.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - DO YOU NEED HELP?

If you're in danger now:

• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people.
• Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you.
• Take the children with you.
• Don't stop to get anything else.
• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay

Where to go for help or more information:

• Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz
• Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 refuge or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz
• Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and middle eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584
• It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz