Supervision for man who hit child

A man who had to be forcibly separated from a 13-year-old girl he was punching in the face has been sentenced for assaulting a child.

Murray Ashford, 48, was convicted in Wanganui District Court of one charge of assault on a child and sentenced by Judge David Cameron to nine months' intensive supervision.

On October 29, 2011, Ashford was drinking at his partner's address in Wanganui when she and her 13-year-old daughter got into an argument.

The argument was verbal, but included some pushing.

Ashford intervened, first reprimanding the girl, then grabbed her by the hair and punching her in the face two or three times with a closed fist.

Others tried to intervene, but they struggled for a minute until they were forcibly separated.

As a result of the punches, the girl suffered soreness to her face.

Ashford's counsel Jamie Waugh said Ashford had a few assault charges in the past but hadn't been in court since 2005.

He had been like a father to the girl and the argument had got out of hand.

He had pleaded guilty to the charge and was not allowed to see his partner while on bail.

Judge Cameron said Ashford's criminal history showed he had four previous assault convictions, but looking at the penalties imposed, they were minor.

He appeared to have some support from his partner and was assessed as having a harmful pattern of alcohol consumption.

He was at low risk of reoffending and hadn't had the benefit of rehabilitative programmes despite his history.

As part of his sentence, Ashford was ordered to attend domestic violence, substance abuse and tikanga maori programme assessments and attend and complete any programmes as instructed.