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A “toxic” relationship between Frankton flatmates came to a head when one of them kicked open a door and grabbed the other’s hair.
Gary Bruce Dennis, 59, was sentenced in Queenstown’s court this week on a charge of male assaults female arising from the March 28 incident.
About 8pm, a heavily drunk Dennis began verbally abusing the victim and “shouting profanities” at her, police say.
This continued for a few minutes before the victim locked herself in the apartment’s bathroom to get away from him.
However, Dennis kicked the door open and grabbed a “fistful” of her hair.
The victim’s partner then intervened, allowing her to escape and call the cops.
Dennis told police he’d been angry with the victim because of her “disrespectful attitude”, but initially claimed to have no memory of kicking open the door or grabbing her hair.
His lawyer, Bryony Shackell, told the court the increasingly toxic relationship between the pair came to a head while the defendant was making dinner.
He’d overreacted to what he considered was “incessant baiting” by the victim, but accepted he’d made a “terrible mistake” by reacting the way he did.
Judge Russell Walker noted Dennis had previous convictions for intentional damage and assault in a family relationship from five years ago.
He entered the conviction and imposed a sentence of 75 hours’ community work and 12 months’ supervision.
