A Murupara woman who "lost it" with a 12-year-old girl has been ordered to carry out 140 hours of community work, be under supervision for nine months and pay the child $400 reparation for the emotional harm she caused her.
Maria Cecilia August, 56, was sentenced in the Rotorua District Court yesterday by Judge David Ruth.
In January she pleaded guilty to assaulting the child on March 17 last year.
Then, the court heard August became enraged because she believed the girl had lied to her. That had led to her punching her so hard her head flew into a window.
Later the same day she had again punched her several times. The girl had fallen to the floor and when blood from the child's nose began dripping on to the floor she had yelled at her, kicking her in the thigh. A police summary of facts said she attacked the child the next morning, placing her hands around her neck and choking her.
Judge Ruth ordered August to undergo programmes while she was on supervision to help control her temper.