A man who tormented his on-off partner by claiming he killed her pet cat put his actions down to medication making him feel ‘‘out of sorts’’.
Brett Thomas Fallows, 41, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to three charges of breaching a protection order.
The court heard that the defendant and the victim had been in an on-off relationship.
A protection order in favour of the victim was granted in 2023.
On September 8 last year, the defendant was at the victim’s Dunedin address.
The victim’s cat scratched one of their children and Fallows responded by saying he was going to kill the cat.
He went outside and returned shortly after to say he had ‘‘strung up the cat’’ and killed it.
Later he revealed he was lying.
The next day, he called the victim and they had an argument over a television.
Fallows again threatened to kill the cat and also the victim’s daughter.
‘‘If you’re going to tell the police I’m going to take you out,’’ the defendant said.
He made five more calls, which were not answered by the victim.
A short time later Fallows showed up at the victim’s house.
Yesterday, counsel Kelly Beazley said her client was remorseful and had accepted responsibility for his actions.
He had gained insight into his offending after completing a Stopping Violence programme, she said.
Fallows said he was on medication at the time which made him feel ‘‘out of sorts’’.
He was now on the right medication and ‘‘back to his normal self’’.
Judge Michael Turner noted the defendant’s criminal history was short, but all of it was violence against women.
‘‘This is serious offending — you had no regard to the court’s order; you had no regard [for] the victim or her children,’’ he said.
‘‘Bruises heal but psychologically abusing somebody is intended to play with their mind, and that’s what you did.’’
He sentenced Fallows to four months’ home detention.
