The couple continued to yell and swear at each other for about an hour after the assault. During that time, Patuwairua repeatedly threatened self-harm, and to kill them both and their baby.
He tried to encourage the woman to attack him.
He picked up a diesel container and splashed fuel on to both of them, then threatened to set it alight.
Aware the only lighter available was one she had, the woman threw it on to a roof and called police.
She suffered severe bruising to one eye, bruising to her arms and cuts to her legs.
In a statement for the court, she said she looked and felt terrible. She had a sore jaw and mouth, a constant headache and sore neck.
Her eye was bandaged and too swollen and sore to use. She had sore shins.
But most upsetting was that their baby had been present the entire time and was screaming.
Patuwairua told her to put the baby down but she held on to it, fearing for her life if she let it go.
Patuwairua’s criminal history included a less serious assault on a woman in 2012 but more serious offences before 2004 including convictions for charges similar to these and an assault on a child.
Counsel Leighvi Maynard said Patuwairua’s acceptance of a prison term reflected insight and remorse.
Remarks Patuwairua made to a pre-sentence report writer were not to his credit, Mr Maynard said. But his comments to him before sentencing included that he was sorry, he knew he needed to change and deserved whatever term was imposed.
Judge Raumati set a starting point of 22 months, uplifting it by six months for Patuwairua’s history and deducting eight months for his guilty plea and remorse.
An assessment of Patuwairua’s mental health was carried out before sentencing.
