A dispute which began over a televsion remote control before escalating into a vicious assault has led to man being jailed for 10 months.
Sylvester Giovanni Woods was in Wanganui on January 31 watching television with the victim when an argument began over the remote control.
"When he wasn't handed it by the victim he physically ripped it out of her hands," Judge David Cameron said in the Whanganui District Court yesterday. The argument continued and Woods stood over the victim and punched her "numerous times" in the face, Judge Cameron said.
The victim tried to use her hands to defend herself and attempted to get out of the chair, but Woods grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the ground, pulling out some of her hair in the process.
While she was on the ground, Woods punched and kicked her until she said she would call the police. She managed to get up, but Woods grabbed the phone out of her hand and ran out of the house with it.
"The assault victim received swelling and bruising to her face," Judge Cameron said, adding she also suffered loss of hair and soreness.
Woods pleaded guilty to assault with intent to injure, as well as unrelated charges including breaching community work, two counts of theft from a car, and one count of possessing an instrument for conversion.
He and a group of co-offenders stole items from two parked cars, and Woods was found in possession of a screwdriver which had been altered in such a way that it could be used to "jimmy open door locks", the judge said.
Woods was sentenced to 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $265 reparation for the theft charges.
By Melissa Wishart of the Wanganui Chronicle
