Man jailed 11 months for beating partner

After assaulting his partner, Richard Edward Pere Atkinson called the police on her.

The couple had been in an on-off relationship and were renting a house together in September last year, the Whanganui District Court heard on Tuesday.

They have two children together, aged 3 and 1 at the time.

Judge David Cameron said Atkinson "became angry" on September 18, saying he didn't trust the victim with a phone and that she didn't deserve one.

He punched the victim in the shoulder before pulling her ear and saying she was getting a "hiding" because she didn't listen, Judge Cameron said.

Atkinson told the victim "to get out of his house", but the assault stopped when the two children needed attention.

The victim's parents then phoned, and Atkinson "became angry again" and started being "verbally abusive".

The victim ended the call and fell on the bed, where Atkinson kicked her in the legs and the back of her head.

He "blamed the victim for the assault", Judge Cameron said.

Atkinson called police, saying his former partner had arrived with the children and refused to leave.

Police arrived and found the victim in a "distressed" state.

Then, on October 17, while on bail for the first assault, Atkinson again assaulted the victim.

She was preparing lunch and asked for help, Judge Cameron said. An argument started, and escalated to Atkinson throwing her to the ground. The victim managed to get up and go to a neighbour's house to call police.

Atkinson pleaded guilty in court to male assaults female and assault with intent to injure.

He has previously been convicted for assaulting the same victim. Judge David Cameron sentenced Atkinson to 11 months in prison, with six months of release conditions.