A Dunedin man has been accused of being a slow learner after he smashed every surface of a woman’s vehicle and defied police.
Eli Tipene Te Moananui, 32, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week, where counsel Liam Collins admitted Te Moananui "completely and utterly and disgracefully lost the plot" — racking up seven convictions in the space of a few hours.
At 8.30pm on April 15, the defendant had reached "boiling point" in response to a two-year-long personal grievance he had with a female associate.
She told Te Moananui to leave several times as he called her a liar and hurled verbal abuse.
Fearing for her and her child’s safety, the woman grabbed a metal pole and demanded the man leave immediately.
Te Moananui continued to verbally abuse her, so she used the pole to crack his windscreen.
He became more enraged and grabbed a hatchet from his vehicle — using it to damage every window and every panel of the woman’s $9000 vehicle.
Terrified, the woman retreated inside her home.
Te Moananui then rummaged through the woman’s car, uplifting a diesel jerry can.
Police arrived and Te Moananui admitted his guilt.
They told him he was under arrest, to which he responded: "No, I’m not."
As the defendant attempted to drive away, police officers took the keys from his ignition and placed him in custody.
A search of Te Moananui’s vehicle revealed five methamphetamine pipes wrapped in a sock and paper towels.
The victim provided a statement to the court detailing the "harassment and intimidation" she had suffered at the hands of the defendant for the past two years.
"I responded out of fear and protection ... He has completely broken me ... I strongly believe he will come back to harm me again."
The woman told the court of how Te Moananui had severely impacted almost every aspect of her life — with his offending causing significant financial loss, a missed job opportunity and trauma that rippled out to her loved ones.
"My daughter has nightmares ... This needs to stop now."
She called Te Moananui a "slow learner", noting his persistent methamphetamine use despite graduating from a residential treatment programme at Moana House.
"He may be a slow learner but he has many clear positive attributes," Mr Collins said.
Te Moananui had the support of Moana House staff and had exhibited a period of "good compliance", the court heard.
Te Moananui had been in custody for two and a-half months and had written a letter of apology stating how "deeply ashamed and embarrassed" he was for his actions.
"Life hasn’t been easy for you, but that doesn’t entitle you to make other people’s lives difficult," Judge Jim Large said.
Te Moananui was sentenced to 18 months’ intensive supervision, disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay $9000 reparation.
"I hope you realise the impact you have had on the victim," the judge said.
