Raniera Junior Smyth, 28, was sentenced to 19 months’ imprisonment in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to assault with intent to injure, threatening to do grievous bodily harm, doing a threatening act and resisting police.
The court heard that on March 30 Smyth and his partner were at a wedding where, despite being the designated sober driver, the defendant became intoxicated.
The pair returned to the woman’s Dunedin address, where the arguing continued before Smyth held the victim from behind, grabbed chunks of her hair and ripped her blouse.
He pushed her away, then delivered a hard kick to her buttocks.
But the attack did not stop there, Smyth picking up the woman and throwing her multiple times.
He pounded the victim’s head with a closed fist before ripping her cellphone from her hands to stop her from calling police.
In his fit of rage, Smyth punched and kicked holes in walls and a door and threw multiple items around.
The victim tried to escape, but the defendant chased her down, yelled abuse at her and headbutted her.
Smyth then threw multiple kitchen knives towards the victim, striking the ground near her feet.
As he did this he told the victim he would stab out her former partner’s eyes.
The victim finally escaped and called the police.
Smyth was unco-operative during the arrest process — five police officers and a dog were required.
The woman suffered three cuts on her forehead and a moderate concussion, which caused prolonged headaches, fatigue, dizziness and nausea.
Smyth’s counsel, Katherine Henry, said her client expressed "significant remorse and readiness to change".
"With the right intervention there can be realisation of that change," she said.
The victim described the incident as "humiliating and traumatising" but she still hoped Smyth would improve.
"I know underneath all the violence and drug use there is a man who cares enough to change," the victim said.
Judge Emma Smith said it was clear Smyth had "extraordinary" issues with alcohol and anger management.
The court heard he had previous convictions which resulted in community-based sentences.
"Your last rehabilitative sentence did not result in any enduring repair — in fact, it’s got worse," Judge Smith said.
She said prison was the only appropriate sentence to mark the highly serious offending as a suitable address was not available for an electronically monitored sentence.
She granted Smyth leave to apply for home detention if an address became available.
