A man who "blew up" when he became suspicious his girlfriend was seeing someone else has been sentenced to community work and supervision.
Appearing before Judge John Brandts-Giesen in the Queenstown District Court on Wednesday, Iain Edward Shaw (30) admitted charges of male assaults female, in December 23, 2017, in Roxburgh, and assault on a person in a family relationship, on December 26 last year in Wanaka.
The court heard how Shaw, who now lives in Auckland, had believed his relationship with the victim was mutually exclusive, but she did not.
On Boxing Day last year, about a year after the first assault, he grabbed her phone in an attempt to find evidence she was seeing someone else.
A pushing and shoving match degenerated into an assault.
Judge Brandts-Giesen said relationship break-ups could be difficult, but the defendant had "behaved disgracefully" on two separate occasions.
"This victim has been in grave fear for herself - the fear such an assault could happen again."
Shaw was convicted and sentenced to 12 months' supervision to address anger management, relationship and mental health issues.
He must also perform 200 hours' community work, pay the victim $1500 for emotional harm, and pay $500 for witness expenses.
Shaw's victim is also the subject of a protection order to keep him away.
