Himatangi Beach man who pushed and punched female friend after helping her shift houses sentenced in Whanganui District Court

When Brendan Hill was located by police, he told them he had not hit anybody, but he later pleaded guilty to pushing and punching a woman who was his friend. Photo / Bevan Conley

A man has been ordered to pay reparation for emotionally and physically harming a woman after he had helped her to shift houses.

Brendan Algy Hill, the woman and her flatmate were drinking on the back deck of a Himatangi Beach property about 10.05pm on Monday, April 22.

For no reason, Hill pushed the woman out of her chair, causing her to fall on the ground.

Police prosecutor Drew Morrison said the woman stood back up and Hill grabbed her by the arms.

"The flatmate tried to get in between them and as she did the defendant punched the victim to the left side of the face," Morrison said.

"The force was such that the victim stumbled down the stairs, off the deck and on her knees on the grass."

Hill left the house and was located by police at his home address a short time later, stating to them that he had not hit anybody.

The victim said the assault made the left side of her head and face sore, but she did not require any treatment.

Hill appeared in Whanganui District Court on Tuesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to male assaults female and driving with breath alcohol over 400mcgs, for which he was convicted.

Lawyer Roger Crowley said Hill was remorseful.

"This arose as the result of a shift of houses, these people were friends of his. Apparently they partook of some type of homebrew," Crowley said.

"He drunk too much of it and acted in the way that he did. He's a traveller for a food and beverage company. He has been suspended from work as a result of this offending."

At 4.40am the day after the assault, Hill was pulled over and breath-tested returning a result of 729mcgs, the second time he had driven with excess breath alcohol.

Judge Dugald Matheson ordered Hill to pay a $1000 fine, $130 court costs and disqualified him from driving for six months.

Judge Matheson then ordered Hill to pay a further $750 in emotional harm reparation to the victim of the assault.