Nia Glassie abuser back in court and convicted of assaulting her partner

Oriwa Kemp appears at Manukau District Court. Photo / Michael Craig

One of the women jailed over the brutal child abuse death of Rotorua toddler Nia Glassie has been convicted of assaulting her partner.

Oriwa Terrina Kemp, 26, appeared in the Manukau District Court today and pleaded guilty to assaulting her now estranged partner Lindsay Wilson. Kemp was four months pregnant at the time of the assault.

Court documents released to the Herald stated Wilson is in his 60s and has been in a relationship with Kemp for about nine years.

At the time of the assault the couple had two children together and Kemp was pregnant with their third child.

According to the police summary of facts, also released to the Herald by the Manukau District Court, the assault happened in April 2016.

In June 2015, Wilson was granted a final protection order against Kemp, however the pair continued to see each other.

At 12.30pm on Sunday, April 2 last year, Kemp and Wilson were in a carpark at a Papatoetoe swimming pool when they had an argument.

"The couple argued about a minor matter and this escalated quickly to yelling and swearing," the summary of facts stated.

"(Kemp) became enraged when the victim attempted to drive off in the van they had arrived in.

"She grabbed him and began punching him in the arm and pulling him trying to get him out of the van."

Wilson pushed Kemp away, police said, and she then started unloading items out of the van.

Wilson got out of the van and started to put the items back into the van, and Kemp started to punch him again.

She hit him "with an uppercut to the body area" and Wilson punched and pushed her back to get her away from him.

Police said the pair "grappled" for about a minute.

A member of the public called police and Kemp was arrested and charged.

She initially pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and contravening a protection order and was scheduled to go on trial today.

However, when Kemp appeared today police withdrew the protection order charge and Kemp changed her plea to guilty for the assault.

A third charge of failing to appear in court was also admitted and Kemp was convicted and discharged.

Judge Philip Recordon sentenced Kemp to 12 months' supervision and ordered her to complete a parenting help course "with an anger management component".

He also ordered her to complete any other course or programme her probation officer directed.

Recordon said it was not the first time Kemp had been before he courts for assaulting Wilson.

Police said Wilson was also on active charges for violent offending against Kemp, and was scheduled to appear in the Manukau District Court later this year.

Wilson did not speak to police after last the Papatoetoe incident and was "disinterested" in the prosecution, the court heard.

He did not submit a victim impact statement.

Nia Glassie, the 3-year-old toddler who was subjected to horrific abuse by her extended family. Photograph supplied.

Kemp's role in the Nia Glassie murder

Kemp was 19 when she was jailed for her part in the death of Nia Glassie in August 2007.

The 3-year-old died on August 3 from head injuries, 13 days after she was admitted to Starship Hospital and placed on life support.

It would later emerge Nia had been subjected to horrific ongoing abuse, including being put in a clothes dryer that was turned on, and hung from a clothes line and spun until she fell to the ground.

Kemp was in a relationship with Nia's cousin Michael Pearson at the time and both were initially charged with manslaughter.

A jury found them not guilty of that charge, but guilty of assaulting the little girl.

Kemp was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.

At the time Kemp had one child.

After her release she had three children with Wilson, the youngest now four months old.

All four of her children have been removed from her care by Child, Youth and Family.

In 2016, CYF confirmed to the Herald that Kemp's youngest was taken shortly after birth.

It is understood that was also the case with her other children to Wilson.

"Ms Kemp is well aware of the reasons why her children are not in her care," said a CYF spokeswoman.

If you're in danger NOW:

• Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours of friends to ring for you
• Run outside and head for where there are other people
• Scream for help so that your neighbours can hear you
• Take the children with you
• Don't stop to get anything else
• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay

Where to go for help or more information:

• Women's Refuge: Free national crisisline operates 24/7 - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 www.womensrefuge.org.nz
• Shine, free national helpline 9am- 11pm every day - 0508 744 633 www.2shine.org.nz
• It's Not Ok: Information line 0800 456 450 www.areyouok.org.nz
• Shakti: Providing specialist cultural services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and their children. Crisisline 24/7 0800 742 584
• Ministry of Justice: www.justice.govt.nz/family-justice/domestic-violence
• National Network of Stopping Violence: www.nnsvs.org.nz
• White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women, focusing this year on sexual violence and the issue of consent. www.whiteribbon.org.nz

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