A man hit his ex-partner with a shower rail before using shards of glass to cut his throat in front of her, a court has heard.
James Michael Sayer, 42, appeared in the Invercargill District Court this week after pleading guilty to assault with a blunt instrument, assault in a family relationship and breaching a protection order.
On April 10, the man was at The Grand Accommodation with the victim.
They argued and the defendant pushed the woman into the shower.
Sayer pulled down the shower curtain rail and used it to hit the victim in the face.
He then smashed a window and a mirror and used the broken glass to cut his throat.
The woman tried to stop him, but injured her hand in the process.
Sayer told police the victim was using the protection order to blackmail him.
Judge Duncan Harvey said the defendant was "no stranger to domestic violence".
The court heard he had an extensive history of similar offending, including 14 breaches of protection orders, assault in a family relationship and assaulting a child.
He is also the respondent to three separate protection orders.
"You cannot continue to treat people who are not as strong as you in this way," Judge Harvey said.
"It is something that the community is becoming very concerned about."
He sentenced Sayer to two years and three months’ imprisonment.
As he left, the defendant said "thank you your honour, I’ll see you next time".
