A Dunedin woman who has repeatedly terrorised her mother has been barred from contacting her for a year.
Anita Dorothy Cumming (43) admitted to another breach of the protection order, which has been in place to shield her mother from physical and psychological abuse since 2018, when she appeared in the Dunedin District Court in May.
Documents released to the Otago Daily Times this week revealed the defendant was sentenced to 12 months’ supervision.
On May 9, she was at her mother’s home and became "verbally and emotionally abusive" for up to three minutes.
"That’s a lie, you’re a liar, that’s a lie," Cumming yelled repeatedly.
Judge Jim Large said the defendant had twice been locked up for similar behaviour in the past.
On previous occasions, Cumming had kept the victim awake for hours to clean the house to her precise standards.
Another episode arose when she became enraged about blueberries her mother had bought then hit her on the leg with a glass bottle when she refused to return to the shop to buy more.
The court heard the extreme behaviour was due to her obsessive-compulsive disorder.
A psychologist’s report said she had developed an "insecure attachment pattern", relying on her mother.
"Those who adhere to her cleaning routines and then refuse to follow instructions are at threat of violence," it said.
When Cumming came before the court most recently, counsel Andy Belcher said the situation was "pretty tragic on all sides".
His client had a rental property in St Clair where she could live alone and he told the court a multi-agency high-risk team would support both defendant and victim.
Judge Large acknowledged Cumming’s psychological issues.
"That’s a very sad situation you’re in, but that does not mean you’re able to behave in this way towards your mother," he said.
"Any repeat could well cause you to be sent back to jail."
Among the conditions of Cumming’s sentence were.—
- Not to contact the protected person.
- To live at an address consented to by Probation.
- To allow Probation access to her home.
- To undertake any treatment as directed.
- Not to travel north of the Dunedin Botanic Garden.
