Alexander Pitman shut two women and two children in a room and as his watch beeped midnight yelled: "I'm going to kill you. Now is the witching hour, the dying hour," a judge heard yesterday.
Pitman, 28, unemployed, of no fixed abode, was appearing in the Rotorua District Court charged with threatening to kill, injuring with intent and abusing a person while a protection order was in place.
He pleaded guilty to all charges.
Sergeant Peter Rankin said Pitman was at his former partner's house on the night of December 28, with her three children aged 8, 2 and 18 months and her 15-year-old sister.
About 11pm, Pitman asked his ex-partner if he could sleep with her that night. She did not reply.
Pitman followed her into a bedroom where the baby, 2-year-old and her sister were and shut the door.
He yelled he was going to kill her and accused her of sleeping with another man, Mr Rankin told the court.
As the two youngest children and the woman's sister lay screaming on the bed, Pitman continued yelling that he was going to kill her as he slammed her head against a wall, and then began strangling her.
He eventually released his grip but continued his attack by pushing her to the floor, striking her, stamping on her head and punching her in the back.
The sister grabbed one of the children and ran for the door, but Pitman blocked the exit. He told them no one was leaving until "they were all dead", Mr Rankin said.
As his watch beeped midnight he yelled, "It's time to die, I'm going to kill you. Now is the witching hour, the dying hour."
His ex-partner managed to pick up the baby and run out of the room. Her sister grabbed the other child, closely followed by the eldest son.
They all escaped to a neighbour's, but Pitman followed.
He forced his way inside and left only when told police were on their way.
Judge Chris McGuire remanded Pitman in custody for sentencing on February 7.
- NZPA
Threat to kill family as 'witching hour' struck
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