Woman pulled from car by hair

Reon David Skeet was remanded on bail to reappear on August 7.

Having got into an argument with his partner of five months, Reon David Skeet pulled her from the car by her hair and slammed the car door against her when she fell to the ground.

Skeet appeared before Judge Tony Walsh in Masterton District Court recently, where he at first admitted through his lawyer Peter Stevens to pulling the woman from the car but denied slamming the door on to her shoulder. He asked for a disputed facts hearing to be set.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Garry Wilson said he was not prepared to amend the summary and told the court police would be calling two witnesses, including someone who saw the entire incident.

"She fell into the gutter and he slammed the door four times on her ... he was heard yelling she was making him late for work."

Judge Walsh told Skeet "to face up to what he did so it could be dealt with".

Skeet returned to court a short time later following legal advice and said he accepted the police summary of facts.

Mr Wilson said that on May 13 Skeet and the woman were on Cole St and started arguing.

"He walked around and opened the car door, grabbed her by the hair and pulled her out of the vehicle. She fell into the gutter and he slammed the door on to her shoulder."

Mr Stevens said Skeet was attending a Stop Violence programme.

Judge Walsh told Skeet to make the most of the programme. "There are issues you clearly have to deal with. You have to be committed. This is not a soft option."

He told Skeet not to see taking on the programme as a way out, as all sentencing options were still open to the court.

"What you did was wrong. There is no excuse for it."

Skeet was remanded on bail to reappear on August 7 for monitoring to ensure he had taken on the programme.