Napier man repeatedly ignores bail conditions, returning to victim in domestic violence case

Kahu Dixon appeared in the Napier District Court. Photo / NZME

A man smashed a woman's phone, swore at her, and told her "no-one's coming to save you" as she tried to call 111 during a violent domestic attack.

"It's what you f***ing deserve," he told her after punching her twice in the side of the head, pinning her down and pinching her neck so hard she had difficulty swallowing for days.

After he broke her phone, she sat down and he tried to kick her in the head, connecting with her arm as she blocked him.

Kahu Takurua Jon Jessop Osborn Dixon, 32, then told the woman he was carrying a knife and would kill himself and the woman's three children if police came.

Dixon, who was jailed for 18 months on a raft of charges when he appeared in the Napier District Court on Tuesday, was on bail with a condition not to contact the woman at the time of the attack in Napier in February this year.

According to a Crown summary of facts, police did come, and they arrested him.

Dixon was released on bail again with a similar condition not to contact the woman, but he was back at her house three days later when police returned for a welfare check.

Police entered the house and found Dixon in the kitchen. He became aggressive, and when they tried to arrest him, he advanced on them and threw items including a shoe, which hit an officer on the head.

Running outside, he was challenged by police with a taser, but he ran off into Maraenui Park, where the officers lost sight of him.

A short time later, he returned again to the woman's house, forcing her inside and making her close all the doors and curtains.

He kept her and the children there for more than an hour. The woman felt she could not leave as he paced up and down the hallway.

Police broke in and ended the standoff, finding the woman holding the three children aged six to nine, huddled into the corner of a dark room, visibly shaking and crying.

Judge Bridget Mackintosh told Dixon at his sentencing hearing that his ex-partner had found her experience "quite terrifying" and now wanted to be free of living like that.

The woman had been able to regain some of her self-esteem in the last six months, when Dixon had been in custody, she said.

"She obviously wants to cut her ties with you, and that is something you will have to come terms with," the judge told Dixon.

Dixon had pleaded guilty to common assault, four charges of assault on a person in a family relationship, willful damage, intimidation, assaulting police and escaping lawful custody.

A pre-sentence report said that Dixon had been using methamphetamine at the time, which affected his reasoning.

The judge said Dixon had written a letter of remorse in which he said he had had time in prison to think about what had happened. He was focused on bettering himself and finding a job on release.

Judge Mackintosh sentenced Dixon to 18 months in jail, to be followed by six months of post-detention conditions in which he would be required to do tikanga and stopping violence courses, and to be assessed for alcohol and drug treatment.

Crown counsel Lara Marshall said the woman's preference was that Dixon leave Hawke's Bay.

The judge said GPS tracking might help keep him away from areas where there might be further confrontation. She imposed a condition to submit to GPS monitoring if a probation officer required it.

She ordered a protection order to cover the woman and children.

FAMILY VIOLENCE - WHERE TO GET HELP

For anyone experiencing family violence, worried about their own abusive behaviour, or supporting someone else in these situations:

• If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 111

• Shine Helpline – now 24/7: 0508 744 633 OR chat online with Helpline staff at www.2shine.org.nz

• Are You OK - 9am to 11pm, every day: 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz

• Women's Refuge – 24/7: 0800 733 843, 24/7 www.womensrefuge.org.nz (for women only)

For anyone worried about their own abusive behaviour:

• 0800 Hey Bro: 0800 439 276 - 24/7 (for men who feel they're going to harm a loved one or whanau member) www.hewakatapu.org.nz/services/0800-hey-bro

For anyone who experiences sexual harm:

• Safe to Talk – 24/7 (sexual harm helpline): 0800-044-334 OR text 4334 – 24/7. Chat online at www.safetotalk.nz