Woman who assaulted former partner discharged without conviction

A Queenstown woman who assaulted her estranged partner in front of their child has been granted a discharge without conviction.

The woman was also given permanent name suppression at a hearing in the Queenstown District Court last month.

In his written decision, Judge John Brandts-Giesen said the defendant and the victim had been in a long-term relationship, during which they had a child, before separating in 2017.

The defendant lived in a house they had previously shared, while next door were some Airbnb units they owned.

On July 29 last year, they had agreed the victim would clean the units because a cleaner was not available.

He arrived at the property while the defendant and their child were out, parking his vehicle ''somewhat inconsiderately'' in a way that left her with no room to park her own vehicle.

When she arrived home, she became upset by his parking, and their child's enthusiastic greeting of him on what was not supposed to be a ''contact day''.

She verbally attacked the victim about a lack of progress with their relationship property dispute, prompting the victim to record her ''tirade'' on his cellphone.

She grabbed the cellphone, returning it a short time later, but continued to verbally attack the victim because she believed he was ''taking [their child] away from her''.

''In her fury, the defendant hit and pushed the victim.''

The victim was uninjured, but the child witnessed the ''unseemly incident''.

''That is the only exacerbating feature of this case.''

Judge Brandts-Giesen said the assault was ''very low end'', and the defendant's only misstep in an otherwise blameless life.

She wanted to return to her profession after taking time off to raise their child, and a conviction could jeopardise that.

 

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