Stepfather pleads guilty

ANGER: The man punched his stepson's arm, leaving a bruise.PHOTO/THINKSTOCK

A 28-year-old Martinborough dairy farmer has been ordered to attend a counselling programme after punching his stepson's arm, leaving a bruise, when the boy started acting up because he couldn't get what he wanted.

The man, who has permanent name suppression, pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting a child when he appeared before Judge Tony Walsh in the Masterton District Court on Thursday.

Police prosecutor Garry Wilson told the court the man was in Masterton with his partner, the 9-year-old victim and two other children where the boy became upset when he could not have something he wanted.

As the stepfather drove along Chapel St the boy became more upset, releasing his seatbelt. The man stopped the car, opening the passenger door, punching the boy in the upper right arm with a "closed fist" leaving a bruise 8cm by 5cm in size on the boy's arm.

Acting for lawyer Jock Blathwayt, defence lawyer Louise Elder asked the court to reduce the charge to common assault, stating the boy suffered ADD and had been acting up.

"He was being very disruptive in the car, kicking the driver's seat and getting out of his seatbelt. He assaulted [the stepfather]."

She asked the court to reduce the charge to common assault, as he had only pushed the boy on the shoulder to "calm him down".

"It came at the end of a long period of bad behaviour. There are lots of ADD issues in the house. This is a man who has really been tested."

He needed "support not punishment", Ms Elder told the court.

"There is no previous history. He has been with this family for many years."

She said a family group conference was being held to offer some support to the family.

Judge Walsh said he wasn't prepared to lessen the charge but noted the man's "stress factor was significant" at the time of the assault.

"The court must denounce any violence when a child is involved ... "

He ordered the man undertake the counselling programme and remanded him at large to reappear in court on September 26 for sentencing.