Rugby player choked, punched pregnant partner

Taranaki rugby player Paul Perez has been found guilty of choking and punching his pregnant partner.

Perez, 23, was found guilty of three charges of domestic violence in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday.

A conviction could spell the end of the centre's professional career as many local and overseas clubs excluded players with serious criminal convictions.

His lawyer was expected to seek a discharge without conviction when the player appeared for sentence on December 3, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

A discharge can be sought where the severity of the penalty arising from conviction is deemed to outweigh the seriousness of the offence.

The court was told Perez and his partner of two years, Dana Carlyle Brooks, had a volatile relationship.

Ms Brooks said Perez often spun out of control during their tempestuous on-and-off partnership.

"He gets this look, his eyes turn black and you can't calm him down," she told the court.

She had been terrified when he choked her into near unconsciousness and punched her, causing her nose to bleed profusely.

When she tried to get to the phone in their New Plymouth home to call police, he grabbed a knife and cut the cord.

When she went back to the house a few days later to get her possessions, she found many of them shredded and her two iPods and cellphone in pieces.

Perez was arrested.

In a videotaped interview Perez said he got angry because he believed Ms Brooks had lied to him about a second pair of shoes she had when he picked her up from work at Centre City on May 31.

Perez had given conflicting accounts of the events but admitted to police that he punched Ms Brooks, slapped her and held his hand over her mouth, Judge Rob Murfitt said.

Perez was ordered to pay $2029 in reparation before his next appearance and attend anger management counselling.

- NZPA