An enraged Rotorua father threatened to smash doors and windows when he went to his daughter's school to watch her get an award but found she was absent from assembly.
The actions of Arthur Alofaga, 34, have shocked teachers who said they try to teach children values such as respect and hoped parents lived by those same values.
Alofaga admitted his actions when he appeared in the Rotorua District Court charged with disorderly behaviour which was likely to cause violence and a charge of contravening a protection order.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Richard van Aren Donk told the court that in June 2006 a final protection order was issued in the Whakatane District Court listing Alofaga's daughter as the protected person.
On the afternoon of December 2, Alofaga went to Rotorua Intermediate to watch his daughter, who was a pupil there, receive an award at assembly for athletic achievement.
However, the girl did not attend the assembly and was instead in her classroom doing some school work.
Alofaga went to the classroom with his wife and asked his daughter why she was not at the assembly. He became angry when she did not give a reasonable excuse.
Sensing her father's anger, the daughter ran away from him to the school office. Alofaga's wife told him to "just leave it" and she left but Alofaga followed his daughter to the office area.
His daughter, who was crying uncontrollably, went into a separate office with a staff member who tried to console her.
Alofaga was enraged and demanded to be let into the office to see his daughter. School staff refused and Alofaga repeatedly swore at them.
Threatening to smash the doors and windows, he picked up a chair and held it about his head. Staff called police as they feared Alofaga would do what he had threatened. His daughter saw what her father was doing and became more frightened and hysterical.
Alofaga was found near the reception counter and was agitated but co-operated with police.
While his daughter did not suffer any physical injuries she was terrified of her father and it took several staff to console her.
Alofaga told police he was angry as he had taken time off work to surprise his daughter by going to the school to see her receive the award. He had received a letter about the award the week before the assembly but his daughter didn't know she was getting an award.
Judge Lindsay Moore declined an application by Alofaga's lawyer Wiremu Te Are for interim name suppression.
The Daily Post contacted Rotorua Intermediate principal Garry de Thierry after the court appearance last week. He was very disappointed by Alofaga's behaviour.
Alofaga was issued with a trespass notice immediately after the incident.
Mr de Thierry said the school tried to teach students the values of respect and taking responsibility for one's actions and he hoped parents would also live by those values. He said that, fortunately, most of the students were at the prizegiving so did not see the incident. However, the staff who did were very upset.
Mr de Thierry said he would welcome a meeting between Alofaga and the staff.
Judge Moore ordered a pre-sentence report and remanded Alofaga on bail for sentencing on February 22.
Rotorua Principals' Association president Deborah Epp said if a parent was upset or angry most schools had a private area where staff could speak to him or her. If a staff member thought the parent could become violent another staff member may also be invited to sit in on the meeting.
Mrs Epp said she was quite shocked to hear about this incident and said she had never heard of similar events at other schools in Rotorua.