A Dunedin man has been jailed for nine months for assaulting his partner while she held their 10-month-old baby.
On May 21, Jared Zepplin Peterson, 31, returned home from a drinking session and began arguing with his partner, the Dunedin District Court heard this week.
After a brief snooze, the man awoke and continued the quarrel. The woman was holding their 10-month-old baby when Peterson threw a full drink bottle in her direction.
"There must have been some force for that to have occurred," Judge Emma Smith said.
Peterson followed the woman outside, where he grabbed her and punched her twice in the head.
The woman used her body to shield the baby while the defendant "manhandled" her, court documents said.
"You simply could not control your behaviour," the judge said.
The victim did not have any visible injuries and the baby was unharmed, the court heard.
"There was no significant injury, for which we are all thankful," Judge Smith said.
The defendant was initially charged with assaulting a child, but the charge was withdrawn.
Peterson was remorseful and attended a successful restorative justice meeting with the woman.
"It is impressive really, in the sense that you accepted what you had done. You accepted that it was wrong, you accepted that you should have been caring for her, a person who trusted you," Judge Smith said.
Counsel Liam Collins said the man had found his five months in custody "a good reset" and was now entirely focused on his health so he could be a good father to his children.
Peterson was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, but due to time served his release is imminent.
