Jail for pushing partner in face

A man who pushed his partner in the face because she was talking to another man has been sent to prison.

David Luke Hughes was with the victim at a gathering on February 21 when he saw her speaking with the other person, Judge Smith said in the Whanganui District Court on Tuesday.

Hughes went up to the victim and pushed her in the face hard enough to make her fall backwards. She suffered a swollen bottom lip.

The victim left the party and walked home, but saw Hughes following her.

When she got home, she locked all the doors but Hughes jumped the fence and took her dog, Judge Smith said.

Later at night, while the victim was sleeping, Hughes returned to the property, removed a sliding door from its track and put the dog back inside the house.

He pleaded guilty in court to two counts of breaching a protection order, one count of common assault and one breach of release conditions.

He was sentenced to eight months in prison.