Man slashed pillow as ex-partner lay next to baby

Otago Daily Times

a day ago

Photo: ODT files
A Dunedin man used a knife to slash a pillow his ex-partner was lying on, a court has heard.
Robert Austen Tupuhi, 35, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday and admitted doing a threatening act and wilful damage.
The court heard that at about 2am on March 9 Tupuhi and his partner returned home from a function.
The defendant was intoxicated and agitated when he got out of the car and slammed the door.
The pair went inside and the woman asked Tupuhi what was wrong.
He responded by pushing past her, picking up her bedside table and throwing it at a wall, causing it to break.
He stormed out of the room and began banging and kicking on doors, causing damage to the hallway and a glass panel in the front door.
This caused their child to wake up, so the woman lay down beside him and attempted to get him back to sleep.
Tupuhi went into the room with a pocket knife and swiped it toward the woman.
At the time she did not know what he was doing but later realised he had slashed the pillow beside her, leaving three large slits in the pillow case.
Yesterday, Judge Catriona Doyle said the offending showed Tupuhi needed to learn to manage his frustration and alcohol and drug use.
"What happened between you and the [victim] in this matter is of concern to the court," she said.
She noted the defendant had spent three months on bail with a 24-hour curfew and considered a rehabilitative sentence was appropriate.
Judge Doyle sentenced Tupuhi to nine months' supervision.
"This sentence is to try and help you on your way so that we don't see you again," the judge said.
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