A Dunedin man who encouraged his daughter to assault a woman says he now wants to be a good role model.
On June 24, Christopher John Ralston, 40, and his 15-year-old daughter were invited to a woman’s house for lunch, the Dunedin District Court heard this week.
In breach of a sentence of supervision Ralston was serving at the time, he drank heavily.
About 11.30pm, Ralston pushed the woman into her bedroom.
He lay down on top of her and pulled a ring off her finger before punching her in the head three times. After hitting her in the arm, Ralston picked up her phone and threw it so forcefully it became embedded in the wall cladding.
The defendant moved outside, where he encouraged his daughter to assault the woman, telling her to "go for it".
The teenager proceeded to repeatedly punch the woman in the head.
The victim sustained bruising and swelling as a result of the attack and was forced to take a week off work.
"It’s bad enough that you assaulted [the woman], but to encourage your daughter to do it was really awful ... it’s just appalling," Judge Jim Large said.
The man told a report writer that he hoped to be a good role model for his children.
"Actions speak far louder than the words," Judge Large said.
Ralston had appeared before the court many times for alcohol-related offending and the judge said it seemed to be getting worse.
"You are the only one who puts alcohol into your body. Nobody else does. It’s your choice."
The man reportedly turned to alcohol after the death of his brother and mother.
The defendant was convicted of theft, disqualified driving, assault in a family relationship, wilful damage and breaching his sentence of supervision.
Ralston was sentenced to 11 months’ imprisonment, ordered to pay $800 reparation and disqualified from driving for six months.
