A man who subjected his partner to a brutal attack after a ''rubbish'' breakfast has been jailed for two and a-half years.
Jade Allan Thomas Wilson (35) appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday on nine charges covering four sets of offences last year.
The most serious came in July after the grandmother of Wilson's partner had died.
The victim had made him breakfast. He told her it was ''rubbish'' and threw the food in the bin.
Wilson gave her three seconds to go to the bedroom.
When she did not comply, he grabbed her by the throat and carried her there.
The defendant threw the woman to the floor and kicked her twice.
Wilson instructed the woman to get on the bed. He then climbed on top of her and punched her four times.
She kicked out at him and he responded by spitting in her face.
Wilson then picked up a barbecue lighter and struck her seven times in the head while she used her arms to try to protect herself.
When the victim came to, she called police but hung up when her partner returned to the room.
The 111 operator called back and Wilson tried to persuade her nothing was wrong.
After ending the call, he punched the victim in the ribs, sending her to the ground.When she got up he repeated his actions.
Wilson then took a knife and marched the woman to the garage, where the police eventually found him.
Previous violent incidents took place in January while the pair were living in Balclutha.
Wilson punched and kicked his girlfriend when she could not source cannabis and he later attacked her on the street after they argued about a Winz appointment.
He dragged her along the road before the victim sought refuge at a service station.
Wilson was also convicted on driving charges over a crash in Lower Hutt.
On that occasion, he took his mother's car without permission while she was getting ready for work.
Driving on Biddle St, Wilson hit a parked car, extensively damaging both vehicles.
He had to be cut from the wreckage and his passenger suffered a lacerated tongue as a result of the collision.
When asked for a blood sample in hospital, Wilson said: ''I don't give blood for nobody. It's my blood.''
Judge Kevin Phillips said there was only limited remorse apparent after the defendant referred to his attack on his partner as ''a tap on the head''.
''Domestic violence of this kind is an alarming feature of our community,'' he said.
Judge Phillips noted Wilson's lengthy history but commended him for the courses he had undertaken in prison while awaiting sentence.
Defence counsel Anne Stevens said her client was motivated to attend residential rehabilitation to address his drug and alcohol vices when he was released from jail.
Wilson was banned from driving for 14 months.
