Judge Deidre Orchard told the Dunedin District Court this week she would have sentenced 46-year-old Brett Douglas Lawson to home detention but it would stop him working at his business, and it might "go under".
The defendant was instead given six months’ community detention (a curfew).
The sentencing, in front of a packed public gallery, heard Lawson’s victim had been unable to drive for three months, had lost some vision in her right eye and had been diagnosed with PTSD and anxiety disorder.
"The assault has had a huge impact on me, my family, my colleagues and my friends. It’s completely changed my life," the woman said in a statement.
"I’m no longer able to go out in public alone."
The couple, who had since separated, hosted a group of friends at their home to watch a rugby match in August last year.
As the night progressed, Lawson became paranoid about his then partner’s cellphone use.
"He belittled the victim in front of their associates before throwing food at her," a police summary said.
The woman went to bed and Lawson reacted angrily when he found another man had gone to check on her.
The victim came out of the bedroom to find the defendant had pinned the man against the wall but when she yelled at him to stop, he pivoted to face her.
When Lawson grabbed her by the neck, snapping her head back, she kicked out.
Yelling that the woman had struck him in the genitals, the defendant threw her on to the bed and pinned her down.
As Lawson released his weight, the victim tried to escape, but he picked her up and threw her against a wall. She also hit a table along the way.
A friend helped her leave the address and a temporary protection order was issued by the court a couple of weeks later.
"That did not stop you," Judge Diedre Orchard said.
Lawson breached the order by visiting the woman in December while on bail, and again the following month, when he repeatedly called her in the early hours.
The victim said she still feared for her safety and wanted the truth about her ex-partner to come out.
"I want Brett to stop acting like a victim in a situation he created. I want him to start being honest with the people around him," she said.
The court heard Lawson had paid her $6000 to recognise the emotional harm he had caused.
