A "jealous'' Queenstown man cut up a painting, assaulted his wife and threatened her with a knife during two separate incidents after becoming suspicious she was having an affair, a court has heard.
The man, aged in his 40s, appeared before Judge John Brandts-Giesen to hear his reserved decision following a judge-alone trial in March.
He had previously pleaded not guilty to six charges - two charges of possession of an offensive weapon, three charges assaulting a female, and one charge of intentional damage.
Four of the six charges were found to be proved.
The man has interim name suppression.
Reading his decision to the court, Judge Brandts-Giesen said the two separate incidents happened on a date in August - the exact date was unclear - and September 10.
During the August incident, the man found a painting, done by his wife, in a cupboard in the family home.
It depicted a man and a woman, who the defendant believed bore a resemblance to his wife and a man he suspected she may have been having an affair with.
He slashed the painting once, and then took it into the kitchen where he cut it up with scissors.
The man's wife alleged that when she confronted him about the painting, he threatened her with a knife while pushing her to the floor.
In relation to that incident, Judge Brandts-Giesen found a charge of wilful damage and a charge of male assaults female were proved. A charge of possession of an offensive weapon was not proved, he said.
On September 10, the man became "suspicious'' of where his wife was going when she said she was going to a meditation class.
The man thought she was going to a yoga class, but looked freshly showered and overdressed.
He believed she was instead going to meet the other man.
His wife alleged during a resulting altercation he had headbutted her.
Judge Brandts-Giesen found a charge of male assaults female, related to the headbutting claim, not proved.
The woman then alleged the man followed her into the lounge, where he waved a knife in a threatening manner. She also alleged he had struck her on the jaw with a closed fist.
Charges of assaulting a female and possession of an offensive weapon in relation to those allegations were found to be proved.
The man will be sentenced in the Invercargill District Court on May 24, when a decision about final name suppression will be made.
Counsel Liam Collins said his client would be applying for a discharge without conviction.
- DAISY HUDSON
