A judge has rebuked a violent Dunedin man and told him to "have a good look in the mirror" after he struck his partner in the head.
The court heard that on September 6, the defendant and his partner were in Weston when an argument broke out.
He threw her belongings out of their car before getting into it with an associate.
They asked for her vape, which was in the car, and Peters got out of the car.
He grabbed the woman by her hair and forced her to the ground before delivering two punches to her head.
She suffered bruising and a split in her eyebrow which needed stitches, the court heard.
Judge Campbell Savage scolded Peters for the attack and his violent history.
"It’s indicative of a defendant who the rest of society is in need of protection from," the judge said.
"If he was released [from custody] today he might get a new girlfriend and give her the bash, because that seems to be his MO [modus operandi]."
Counsel Ngaire Alexander said her client lived an offence-free life for 10 years before but traumatic life events had caused him to slip back into violent habits.
She argued the attack was fleeting and the victim had a swift recovery.
A community-based sentence was appropriate, she said.
Judge Savage disagreed and said Peters needed to learn to "stop thumping everybody he meets".
"I acknowledge that bad things did happen to him ... but that’s not a card that you can keep playing in perpetuity," the judge said.
"She’s someone that you profess to care for. You’ve opened her head up!"
After sentencing Peters to 15 months’ imprisonment, Judge Savage told him: "Have a good look in the mirror".
— Felicity Dear, PIJF court reporter
