Father convicted of assaulting his children over 12-year period

He pushed his 6yo, causing child to fall and break his arm after not brushing his teeth. Photo / File

A Dunedin man physically abused his children for several years and persuaded one of them to lie to hospital staff about how he broke his arm, a court has heard.

The 41-year-old failed to persuade the Dunedin District Court this week that he deserved a discharge without conviction but he was granted permanent name suppression.

Judge John Macdonald said publication of the defendant's identity would identify the three victims and cause them undue hardship.

The man's violence began in 2006 and continued until mid-2018, the court heard.

He pleaded guilty to four charges of assault, which encompassed multiple slaps to the face over the lengthy period.

The judge said it was unclear exactly how many instances there were but that it was obviously a "pattern of conduct".

"It seems it happened in a fairly routine way over a significant period," he said.

In 2009, the man's violence led to severe consequences for one of the children.

The defendant became angry they had not brushed their teeth and yelled at them to go back into the bathroom.

He pushed the 6-year-old in the chest, causing him to fall backwards and break his arm.

"The defendant took the victim to hospital, telling staff the victim had injured himself while jumping on his bed," a police summary said.

Judge Macdonald said the man did not intend to injure the boy, which was reflected by the conviction for injuring by unlawful act.

The defendant told police he had been angry at the time of the incident and took an "unjustifiable risk" by pushing the child.

Counsel Meg Scally argued convictions would stymie her client's potential progress in his career.

If he was to progress in his field, he would be expected to travel overseas and that would be severely hindered by a criminal record, she said.

Scally also told the court the man was keen to involve himself in his children's education and sporting pursuits.

Convictions would, to an extent, prevent that, too.

While the defendant said the deterioration of his relationship with the mother of the children had been the catalyst for some of the violence, Scally stressed that was merely context rather than an excuse.

Judge Macdonald ruled that the consequences the man faced as a result of convictions being entered did not outweigh the gravity of the offending.

He would not, for example, lose his job, the judge said.

He commended the defendant for the steps he had taken to apologise to his children and address his violent tendencies.

Judge Macdonald imposed six months' supervision.