A Wanaka woman, granted final name suppression, was yesterday sentenced to 12 months' intensive supervision for assaulting her three children, who are now in CYF care.
The 44-year-old admitted assaulting each of her children, on separate occasions, between 2010 and 2012.
She also admitted possession of class C-controlled drug cannabis and possession of a cannabis grinder.
With regard to the assaults, defence counsel Sonia Vidal said those on the two younger children were unintentional and arose from the woman moving her arm and connecting with the children - once on a child's nose and the other time across a child's jaw.
On both occasions she became angry - at one time because the child was asked to leave her room and did not, the other was while she was driving and two of the children were arguing.
The third incident, relating the eldest child, left a bruise on the child's leg, but the woman had suffered more serious bruising.
She wanted to spare her children from testifying in court, Ms Vidal said.
''There is a lot of love between them.
''She does her best to try and ensure her children receive appropriate ... care.
''There are just some trying circumstances where, perhaps, all parties haven't behaved as best [they could].
''She loves her children deeply and wants to do everything she can to ensure her children come back to her.
''She would not intentionally hurt her children and never set out to hurt her children [but she] accepts she would benefit from drug and alcohol counselling and anger or conflict counselling,'' Ms Vidal said.
Judge John Macdonald said the assaults on the children, now aged 16, 12 and 9, were ''simple incidents''.
''The assaults should not have happened ... but they're not in the worst category.
''There were no serious physical injuries caused [but] one of the consequences ... has meant CYF has intervened and removed the children from you.''
The woman had no previous convictions in New Zealand or her home country and as a result of the offending she had lost her job and would be unable to continue it either here or in her home country.
In addition to the sentence of supervision, the judge ordered the woman to undertake any counselling or treatment as directed by her probation officer.
