Plea for help sparks assault

Andrew James Larkin, 22, pleaded guilty in Masterton District Court to a charge of male assaults female.

Former partner threatened to kill

Enraged at being asked by his partner to help get her three children ready for school, Andrew James Larkin used his weight to slam her head first into a dishwasher, damaging the bridge of her nose before strangling her.

The 22-year-old, of Masterton, who earlier pleaded guilty to male assaults female, was told by Judge Tony Walsh at sentencing in Masterton District Court it was a "serious assault" as he sentenced him to a raft of community-based sentences including supervision and community work.

He was also ordered to undertake a stop violence programme.

The police summary states Larkin and his partner of three years were at home on the morning of Monday, July 8, when she went into the bedroom and woke him asking him to help get the children ready for school as they were running late. He replied "why can't you get them ready yourself".

She went into the kitchen and as she leaned face down to get breakfast bowls from the dishwasher, Larkin threw himself at her from behind and she fell face first into the dishwasher, breaking dishes and causing a cut to the bridge of her nose, which was bleeding. She tried to call police on her cellphone but he snatched it from her and threw it across the room.

Judge Walsh said she then tried to continue getting the children ready but Larkin pushed her into a corner of the kitchen, "putting both hands around her neck", strangling her for several seconds.

She scratched his face in self defence and he pushed her to the ground, stating "I am going to kill you. Get up and clean the blood off your face".

After taking the children to school, she told Larkin to leave the home but he returned shortly after, throwing pictures and ornaments around.

"You pushed your thumbs into her throat ... this was a very serious thing to do," the judge said. "You need to understand how dangerous strangling is. People die from fatal shock. You could have been facing a more serious charge."

Defence lawyer Virginia Pearson said her client was remorseful and, though the couple had attempted reconciliation, they had since separated.

Judge Walsh sentenced Larkin to nine months' supervision, 100 hours' community work and also ordered him to pay court costs of $130 and attend a stop violence programme.