A Hokitika man who slashed his partner with a chainsaw during an argument was sentenced on a raft of charges when he appeared in the Greymouth District Court this week.
Thomas Beau Cooze, 34, came before Judge Tom Gilbert on Monday for sentencing on a lead charge of injuring by an unlawful act, plus a separate count of assault on the same victim, and theft.
The chainsaw incident unfurled in September 2023 at a Weld St address.
According to the police summary of facts, Cooze and his partner had been arguing throughout the afternoon and into the evening before he went outside to fix a chainsaw.
The victim went outside and the arguing continued.
She eventually went inside and collected her belongings, coming out to say she was leaving.
At that point, Cooze started the chainsaw he was working on — doing so in a way that made the victim felt threatened, Judge Gilbert said.
The victim pushed Cooze on the shoulder to move him away from her.
She then immediately turned to walk away.
Cooze then ‘‘struck forward’’ with the operating chainsaw, slashing the woman’s lower back.
It left her with a 20cm gash that required stitches to close.
Cooze admitted to police the chainsaw did strike the woman, but he said it was not intentional and was caused by the woman knocking him off balance.
Lawyer Stewart Sluis said Cooze maintained it was an accident, ‘‘although he agrees it was completely negligent’’.
The pair remained in a relationship.
The separate assault charge stemmed from a later argument when they met up again, despite Cooze having a no-contact bail condition.
On that occasion he threw a bedside cabinet towards the victim, hitting her on the shoulder.
The theft charge stemmed from a December 2023 incident at the Challenge service station in Hokitika after Cooze drove off with two containers of petrol valued at $55.
Judge Gilbert ordered Cooze to make reparation for the full amount stolen.
On the two family violence matters, Cooze was sentenced to eight months’ home detention.
- Hokitika Guardian
