Man tied woman to bed to stop her from going into town

File photo / NZ Herald

A man who repeatedly assaulted a woman and routinely tied her to a bed to stop her from going into town - all while on parole for similar crimes - was jailed yesterday.

Hayden Reece Hudson, 25, admitted 11 charges, including kidnapping, threatening to kill and assault with intent, the offences occurring in Wanganui and Napier between November 2010 and January 2011.

Crown prosecutor Lance Rowe said premeditation was evident in Hudson's offending as he had purchased rope for the purpose of restraining the woman, using it to tie her to the bed every night.

Hudson's defence lawyer Matthew Phelps said the rope had been purchased for use as a dog lead and that it "evolved" much later to be used in the kidnapping.

Mr Phelps also said it was important to look at the offending in context, such as Hudson's age at the time and the fact he and the woman were users of methamphetamine.

"The victim said Mr Hudson would vacillate between being calm on the one hand and angry on the other. It does not necessarily reflect premeditation, it reflects the fact Mr Hudson was heavily ensconced in the methamphetamine culture."

Judge Graham Hubble said the relationship went "reasonably well" but escalated into violence, even though he was on parole after serving jail time for serious offences against another woman.

"For several days you would restrain her, spread-eagled at night so she wouldn't go out on the town. There were no acts of violence as such or intent to rape, but there was what the victim called 'normal' incidents of male assaults female.

"In the most serious case of injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm you sat astride her, beating her about the face. She said as you did this you were calm with no emotion and extreme callousness."

Judge Hubble said Hudson forced the victim to look at herself in the mirror and then, when she was on the floor, continued to beat her.

He said it was sadistic repeated violence with intent to control out of unreasonable jealousy.

"You would not let her out unaccompanied; even when she was injured you wouldn't allow her to see a doctor. To refuse her medical attention is certainly a very unkind act."

He said the victim had become fearful and had suffered from nightmares after the offending and still had health problems. At one point Hudson had locked her in a cupboard.

Judge Hubble said a start point of nine years' imprisonment was on the table but offered discounts for his age at the time of the offending and that he had been on remand for two-and-a-half years, as well as taking into account his guilty pleas.

The judge said he hoped Hudson would receive psychological help in prison so he could progress with his life.

"Apparently you are not insane, but there is clearly something psychologically wrong with you, and you accept that."

Hudson was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment, a protection order was placed against him for the victim, and he was given a first warning under the Three Strikes rule for the convictions of wounding with reckless disregard, kidnapping and injury with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.