Victim filmed assault

A Wanaka man who was being struck and slapped by his partner while he held their 18-month-old child filmed the assault on his cellphone.

``That seems to be an extraordinary way to behave,'' Judge Nevin Dawson said in the Queenstown District Court last Wednesday, adding the choice to record the assault instead of leaving the property was ``goading'' the defendant.

Wanaka cook Nikita Marie Sellwood (30) pleaded guilty to assaulting her ex-partner Stuart Cockburn on January 19 at their Wanaka home and a ``transferred malice'' charge of assault, after unintentionally hitting their child.

Judge Dawson sentenced Sellwood to nine months' supervision on the first charge and discharged her without conviction on the second.

On the second assault charge, the judge said she had been sufficiently punished by being separated from the child since January.

A discharge without conviction was ``entirely appropriate'', he said.

The January 19 argument arose because Mr Cockburn did not want to attend counselling. He also refused to move his car from the driveway.

Judge Dawson said Sellwood should be commended for seeking assistance from the appropriate agencies.

Special conditions of the supervision included undertaking any courses or assistance at her probation officer's discretion.


 

 

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