A Waikouaiti man who punched his partner and hit his 1-year-old child says prison is the best place for him.
Tanae Marcus Edge (25) had been behind bars since the November incident and accepted he needed to address his anger issues before being freed, the Dunedin District Court heard this week.
“He wants to be a better father and partner,” counsel Sophia Thorburn said.
Edge had been on home detention for similar domestic violence against his partner for a couple of months when his rage consumed him again.
On November 30 last year, the couple argued and the victim went to pack a bag.
Edge grabbed the woman, while she carried their son, and gripped them in a bear-hug.
The victim screamed that he was making their son cry and made a dash for the table to call police.
However, Edge wrestled the phone away from her and followed when his partner sought refuge in a nearby bedroom.
After blocking their exit, the defendant pushed mother and child on to the bed and punched the women three times in the upper arm.
One of those blows struck the baby’s leg, the court heard.
As he had with the phone, Edge yanked his son away from the victim and said “he wanted the child, to help himself calm down”.
Later, when the woman attempted to leave, the defendant aimed further punches at her arms, including the one holding the boy.
After a spell shut in a bedroom, the victim made a break for the car outside and she locked herself inside.
When Edge was unable to get in, he punched the windows and bonnet in frustration, a police summary said.
He stood in the middle of the driveway to stop his partner leaving but she eventually made her getaway, calling police once she was at a safe distance.
Ms Thorburn said Edge planned to undertake anger-management and drug counselling while in prison.
Judge Josephine Bouchier described a letter from the defendant as “insightful”.
“And that is not something I say very often.”
Edge wrote that he now realised family was not a possession that he owned.
Judge Bouchier jailed him for two years on charges of assault in a family relationship, assaulting a child and breaching a protection order.
She declined an Otago Daily Times application to photograph the defendant.
Do you need help?
If you're in danger now:
• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people.
• Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you.
• Take the children with you.
• Don't stop to get anything else.
• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay
Where to go for help or more information:
• Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz
• Women's Refuge: Free national crisis line operates 24/7 - 0800 refuge or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz
• Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and middle eastern women and their children. Crisis line 24/7 0800 742 584
• It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz
