Escalating violence has landed an ex-gang affiliate in jail after he "lost the plot" with his partner.
Levon Mark Wallace-Grant (31) was served with a protection order against his partner on September 11 after a long history of drug and alcohol-fuelled violence, the Dunedin District Court heard this week.
Counsel John Westgate acknowledged the man had "deliberately thumbed his nose" at the court system by flagrantly breaching his release conditions multiple times — drinking alcohol and living with his partner, with whom he was not supposed to have contact.
On December 31, Wallace-Grant was with his partner and a few associates, partaking in the New Year’s Eve festivities — defying the court by consuming alcohol.
Deciding to watch the fireworks, the group piled into a vehicle and headed to town.
Court documents revealed the man "became increasingly jealous of the victim and the male driver of the van", and began yelling at everyone in the car.
Wallace-Grant got out of the car and punched the rear window three times, breaking it.
He challenged the driver to a fight before everyone but his partner fled the scene.
Wallace-Grant grabbed the woman by the collar, shouting at her and then punched her three to four times in the face.
"You lost the plot," Judge Kevin Phillips said.
Wallace-Grant shared an apology letter with the court and acknowledged he needed help.
"When he realised that he had assaulted her ... the gravity of that came home to him when he was sitting in Otago Corrections Facility," Mr Westgate said.
"He realised ... ‘that’s it, I need help’."
While Wallace-Grant had a history of family violence, his aggressive tendencies were
escalating.
"What he has never done before ... has physically hit her."
Mr Westgate argued that while the man needed to be punished, he also needed rehabilitation for drug and alcohol use.
Judge Phillips commended the man for walking away from his gang affiliations over the past few years but advocated for the victim and their children.
"This was your last chance to change and turn away from drugs and be a father to your kids," the judge said.
Wallace-Grant admitted assault in a family relationship and wilful damage, along with multiple breaches of his release conditions.
He was sentenced to one year and three months’ imprisonment.
