Kiwi jailed in Singapore for attack on girlfriend

People sit on the waterfront as sunlight shines on the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore....
People sit on the waterfront as sunlight shines on the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore. Photo: Reuters
A Kiwi has been jailed in Singapore for a violent and jealous attack on his girlfriend in the famous Marina Bay Sands hotel.

Taputoro Meihana Deane Delamere, 32, kicked his girlfriend's head, tried to force her to jump off a seventh-floor balcony and attacked two security guards who tried to help.

The Kiwi, who had pleaded guilty, blamed the attack, which happened in November last year, on his drinking and anger issues.

He was sentenced by a Singapore court on Monday to three months and four weeks' imprisonment for:

• Causing hurt to his then girlfriend,

• Committing a rash act by throwing items down from his room,

• Causing hurt to a public servant,

• Causing hurt to a police officer, and

• Committing mischief by causing more than $8000 of damage to the hotel room.

Taputoro and his then girlfriend Louisa Ada Tangitutu had been dating for nine months when they visited Singapore on November 13 last year.

But on the third day of their holiday, Taputoro saw his girlfriend dancing with another man at a club and grew jealous.

About 4am in their Marina Bay Sands hotel room, Taputoro fought with Tangitutu and shouted at her.

Then in his rage, he punched and kicked Tangitutu's face multiple times while she was seated on a chair, and ignored her cries to stop.

Security guards were alerted but Taputoro told them to leave and slammed his girlfriend's phone against a wall.

He then smashed a glass panel on the balcony with a chair and tried to force his girlfriend to jump off it with him but she managed to break free and fled the room.

When security officers got into the room, Taputoro told them to come and get him.

As he climbed towards them, he pushed one of the officer's heads into a glass door and punched in the face another who went to try help his colleague.

Yahoo News Singapore reported Taputoro caused $8,742.80 of damage.

In a handwritten letter to the court, Taputoro apologised for his actions and said they were due to his heavily intoxicated state.

"I should have controlled my drinking and known that enough was enough.

"I also know now that I have a drinking problem and anger issues and when I am back in New Zealand, I will be seeking ... help with these issues so that it never happens again," he said.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman said they'd provided Taputoro with consular assistance but could not provide any more information for privacy reasons.

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