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A man has been jailed for seven and a half years for subjecting his ex-girlfriend to months of physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse.
Photo: Rafael Ben-Ari / Chameleon Eye / 123rf
He continues to deny the crime after being convicted of eight counts, including two of rape, after a trial with just one judge last month.
In her sentencing today, the woman spoke about her long road to recovery after leaving the violent relationship that left her broken.
“The physical pain he has caused me pales in importance in the face of emotional damage. His behavior towards me robbed me of everything that I considered right and true in the world.
“I went from being a confident young woman to someone whose trust in people was completely broken.”
The man physically, sexually, emotionally and financially abused the woman before she left him within seven months of their relationship and obtained a protection order.
He slapped and shoved her during arguments, emptied her savings account of more than $ 10,000 and once put a knife to her throat before forcing her to perform sexual acts against her will.
The woman told the court that she had lost confidence in herself and in her own judgment and that she had been ashamed of what had happened to her.
She said it was only thanks to years of support, both personal and professional, that she was able to rebuild confidence in herself, others and in the future.
“Asking others for help to rebuild your life is an extremely difficult thing to do but it is what I have done and despite everything, and because of the work I have done, I come out of this test with strength, love and an amazing future to look forward to. “.
After hearing her victim impact statement, Judge Brewer said it was to the woman’s credit that she now feels positive about moving on with her life.
The court heard a pre-sentencing report that found the man showed no remorse, continued to deny the crime, and had made no effort to apologize to the woman.
Judge Brewer said the report’s writer believed the man was still at high risk of recidivism and the judge had found no mitigating features in the case.
Aggravating traits included breach of trust, woman’s vulnerability, woman’s trauma, and the particular cruelty of man’s crimes.
The judge said the abuse was physical and sexual, but went further to include emotional and financial abuse.
“Your relationship was also marked by your manipulation of [the woman]. You exercised control over her by giving and withholding sudden affection, anger and violence and by telling lies. “
Judge Brewer said that although a Section 27 cultural report found that the man had grown up in a broken and violent home away from his family and culture, there was no clear link between his background and his crimes.
He imprisoned the man for seven and a half years, without imposing a minimum period without parole.
The defendant appeared impassive throughout the sentence.
His attorney Belinda Sellars QC told RNZ that she had instructions to appeal both the conviction and the sentence.
