Several cases were heard in Dannevirke District Court on Friday.
"What's getting you in trouble is the normalisation of crime and violence," a man was told in the Dannevirke District Court on Friday.
Whatarangi Graham was given a custodial sentence of 12 months and ordered to pay reparations of $100 when he appeared before Judge Jonathan Krebs last week.
The court was told that Graham had been under a protection order with his partner which he had breached on at least two occasions.
Through his solicitor, he said his partner had turned up at his address and claimed she had no fuel to return home.
He had taken her to get some petrol, resulting in theft of said petrol.
There had been several incidents of violence in the relationship but the couple wanted to make the relationship work.
"That's going to take some work," Judge Krebs said.
Judge Krebs told Graham he needed the tools to work out how he and his partner could live in peace.
Graham had grown up in a household where only te reo was spoken and didn't learn to read and write English until he was at high school.
He was bullied because of that and became involved in various offending and a situation where violence was 'normal'.
"In our society they would not be normal," Judge Krebs told him.
In terms of his relationship with his partner and her own behaviour, he said Graham was responsible for his own choices.
The considered sentence, including the breaches and the thefts added up to 20 months.
Graham was given a discount of 25 per cent and another discount of three months for time already served, taking it to 12 months with release conditions.
A woman who owned a dog that attacked another was told to pay reparations when she appeared in court.
Nada Raroa's dog attacked and injured another dog that was on its own property.
It was noted it was not the first time the dog had done so.
Judge Krebs was advised that the informant asked for reparations for emotional harm as well as payment of vet fees to treat the dog.
"Dog owners have an obligation to keep them contained," Judge Krebs told Raroa.
"Particularly dogs that have a history."
The dog has since been destroyed.
Raroa was ordered to pay more than $1900, which included $500 for emotional harm, and $986 in vet fees.
Jake McNicol was told the fact there was no actual incident as a result of him driving with excess breath alcohol was more due to good luck than good judgement when he also appeared before Judge Krebs.
A report from police noted that the 20-year-old Dannevirke resident was driving on Neptune St in May when he was caught. His test produced a result of 894mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.
Judge Krebs noted McNicol had driven to help a distressed female, but his actions were still inherently dangerous.
He was fined $900 and his licence suspended for 28 days.
He will be required to use an alcohol interlock for 12 months, whereby a zero alcohol rule applies.
He will also be required to hold a zero alcohol licence for three years.
Also in court was David Phillips, who had been in shared accommodation when he was confronted by another man who had accused him of interfering with his laundry.
The situation escalated whereby Phillips used a baton to hit the man over the head, the court was told.
Someone at the property was able to intervene before matters worsened and Phillips was charged with common assault.
"You let taunts get to you and you overreacted," Phillips was told.
Judge Krebs imposed a sentence of intensive supervision of nine months.
Phillips was also ordered to complete any programmes as directed.
The baton was to be destroyed.