A Dunedin man has been told to "grow up" after throwing a toastie at his partner and hiding from police under the floorboards of a house.
Jayden Phillip Kane, 24, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week after earlier admitting three breaches of a protection order, two charges of assault in a family relationship and speaking threateningly.
The court heard that on January 3, the defendant was with his partner at a Mosgiel address and was making a toasted sandwich.
When the woman walked into the kitchen Kane threw the hot toastie at her face, burning her nose.
The next day the defendant asked his partner to drive them out of town, but she said she could not as she did not have enough petrol.
Judge Jane Farish said in reaction, the defendant "effectively threw a tantrum".
Kane grabbed the victim’s hair and forced her face into the armrest of a chair.
Once she broke free of the defendant’s grip the victim asked him to leave, but he refused.
Later that afternoon Kane became agitated again and threatened to slit the victim’s throat.
Once he left the victim locked the doors, and later when the defendant returned he began kicking the door.
The woman ran out the back door saying she was calling the police.
"I could slit your throat before they even arrive," Kane threatened.
The victim fled to a neighbours house and phoned police.
Kane climbed through a manhole and hid below the floorboards while police searched for him but was eventually located by a police dog.
Judge Farish noted the offending happened in breach of a recent sentence of intensive supervision, and the judge who imposed that sentence warned it was decided on by a fine margin.
Judge Farish sentenced Kane to 25 months’ imprisonment, which included extra time for a re-sentencing on the charges he originally received intensive supervision for.
"Unfortunately, you either weren’t listening or you put your own personal needs ahead of that warning," Judge Farish said.
She said the defendant appeared to be "self-absorbed" and "very immature".
"You need further work to be able to understand the harm that you caused by impulsive acts of violence," the judge said.
"I think it’s time ... for you to grow up."
