Aleni Ioane appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after pleading guilty to assault in a family relationship, failing to stop for police, escaping custody and resisting arrest.
With no previous violence in his criminal history, Ioane’s double outbursts could be seen as an aberration, Judge Michael Crosbie said.
The first came on September 16 last year, two days after Ioane had an altercation with his sister and was served with a police safety order to stay away from her.
Just hours after that lapsing, the victim saw a light on in her sleep-out.
She went down to turn it off and Ioane sprang out from behind a door and dragged her to the ground.
He grabbed the woman by the throat, alternating hands while showering her with abuse.
‘‘This is the way you treat me, you dirty f... dog. If you ever do this again, I’m going to kill you,’’ Ioane said.
At one stage, he had one knee on the woman’s chest and one on her neck.
‘‘She was squirming trying to catch her breath but he would not let go,’’ a police summary said.
Ioane released her after issuing a final threat, should she go to police.
But she called emergency services immediately.
While on bail, in February, Ioane was stopped in Kaitangata for a routine breath test.
When police informed the defendant he was in breach of his bail conditions, he erupted.
Ioane, swearing at police, started his vehicle and was pepper-sprayed as he accelerated away.
It did not stop him leading police on a short chase around the South Otago town, which continued once the defendant stopped in St Albans St.
He ran to the back of a property and jumped fences into paddocks.
Officers tracked him down shortly afterwards but he remained aggressive and said he would fight them.
Ioane then jumped another fence where was pepper-sprayed for a second time.
He struggled with police, resisted handcuffs being applied and kicked out with his legs.
Eventually he was tasered into submission, the court heard.
Judge Crosbie said Ioane had ‘‘entrenched views towards policing and authority’’ but had held down a good job for some years.
The defendant’s sister had been ‘‘dramatically affected’’ by the attack, the judge said, and now struggled to be at home.
Ioane was sentenced to four months’ community detention and 12 months’ intensive supervision.
A protection order was issued in favour of the victim.
