Paul Perez assaulted his pregnant partner. Photo / Getty Images

Paul Perez assaulted his pregnant partner. Photo / Getty Images

New figures show a sharp increase in the number of violent offenders escaping without criminal conviction.

Information from the Justice Ministry and Statistics New Zealand reveal the number of violent offenders being discharged without conviction has tripled over the past 15 years to more than 1400 a year.

Violent offending increased by a third over the same period.

The trend was revealed as a high-profile rugby player this week made a bid to avoid conviction for choking and punching his pregnant partner.

Taranaki player Paul Perez, 23, was this week found guilty in the New Plymouth District Court of three charges of domestic violence against his pregnant partner.

He was ordered to pay $2029 in reparation and go to an anger management course.

Perez is expected to seek a discharge without conviction when he appears for sentencing on December 3, because a criminal record may damage his playing career. Police plan to oppose the application.

Spokeswoman for anti-violence group Shine, Jane Drumm, said assaulting a pregnant woman was "very high-risk" offending, and a discharge without conviction sent the wrong message.

Drumm said too many sportspeople escaped conviction and called for more leadership from sports clubs.

"They need to know that it's a privilege for them to represent their country or province, and if they assault people, they're making a decision to risk that," she said.

The Taranaki Rugby Union did not return calls.

The rise in discharge without conviction was not a surprise, Drumm said. First-time family violence offenders were routinely discharged without conviction, and some escaped penalty more than once.

"I think that the bare minimum should be a conviction. When someone has been harmed the major thing the court system has to do is say: 'What you've done is not acceptable'."

Wellington barrister Robert Lithgow said the rise came from police putting more trivial matters before the court, which didn't justify the stigma of a conviction. "The courts are saying this is out of all proportion."

Former Auckland District Law Society head, barrister Gary Gotleib, said a "reasonable percentage" of domestic violence cases were resolved by discharge without conviction.

He said victims often advocate for counselling, or told the court the offender had changed as a result of attending a course.