A man with a chronic history of violence towards women has been sentenced to home detention instead of imprisonment.
Prison clearly hasn't worked in the past and significant steps towards rehabilitation have been taken, Judge Philip Crayton said on Monday.
Mark Christian Bartlett was sentenced to 10 months' home detention, for two male assaults female charges and one of attempting to pervert the course of justice, when he appeared in the Whanganui District Court.
On October 19, 2016, Bartlett grabbed his pregnant partner by the throat, hit her against the wall, threw her on a bed, pinned her down and hit her on the mouth, which left her bleeding.
In May 2017, Bartlett pleaded guilty to all charges.
Judge Crayton said Bartlett had completed everything that was required of him from the sentence indication.
"You have completed a 12 week programme that does not allow you to hide from your offences but makes you confront the very destructive nature of your family violence," Judge Crayton said.
The victim impact statement worked in favour of Bartlett.
Judge Crayton said the victim does not wish for the offender to be sent to prison because she acknowledges the work he has done.
"You have obtained employment and have the support of your employer, your family and the vicitm....it seems you have taken significant steps for someone like yourself who has a poor history of family violence," Judge Crayton said.
Between October 19 and 26, Bartlett sent the victim text messages trying to get her to retract the statement.
Crown Prosecutor, Megan Jaquiery, said Bartlett's attempt to get the victim to retract her statements nearly worked.
"His victim did send a letter to police asking to have it removed."
Ms Jaquiery said the Crown's concern was for the victim's protection.
"The Crown has no option but to oppose home detention," Ms Jaquiery said.
Defence lawyer, Anna Brosnahan, said a prison sentence would stop Bartlett in his tracks.
Judge Crayton said imprisonment would take him out of the circulation, cost him his employment and it would not prevent him from contacting the complainant and the same issues would arise.
The pre-sentence report suggested a medium risk of reoffending and signalled some risk of harm to the community.
Judge Crayton told Bartlett he should take the home detention sentence as an opportunity.
"There will be no slippage permitted. If you come back before the court for offending which involves family violence or threat of family violence you will go to prison."
Judge Crayton said it is by the slimmest of margins Bartlett was granted this opportunity and there were a number of conditions.
"If you do not comply with the expectations of probation, I anticipate you will be breached immediately."