Dad jailed for 'old fashioned discipline' on child

A Timaru man who used "old-fashioned discipline" on his children has been sent to prison for nine months for his fourth assault on them.

John Harry Lagataua, 45, received a second cumulative sentence of five months for assaulting his former partner in a separate incident.

Timaru District Court heard that the storeman had assaulted one child three times, and been convicted of assault on another sibling.

In the latest incident, the child was having a tantrum so Lagataua put him into "time out". When the child failed to calm down, Lagataua leant over and pinched the child around the neck, lifting him off the floor slightly, the court heard. The child screamed and was left with a small abrasion and minor bruising to his neck, according to evidence presented.

Defence counsel Teresa Lawrence said Lagataua loved the child, and those feelings were reciprocated as the child, who was now in care, had been asking to see him.

She suggested Lagataua was using old-school methods of discipline like those that were used on him when he was a child.

The two prior assaults on the child involved having his mouth washed with soap for using bad language and being disciplined with a wooden spoon, the court heard.

Ms Lawrence suggested Lagataua simply did not have the skills to deal with a "challenging" child.

All five children were now in Child, Youth and Family care.

Lagataua had completed an anger management course in 2007 and was enrolled in a parenting programme.

Ms Lawrence said the assault on his partner arose when the pair had been trying to talk through their separation. The woman was in the driver's seat, and Lagataua had leant across attempting to remove the keys from the ignition. A struggle ensued, Ms Lawrence said.

Lagataua did not recall punching the woman, even though she said she was either punched or pushed before being dragged from the vehicle and falling to the ground, the court heard.

Judge Colin Doherty noted the assault on the woman had occurred while Lagataua was on bail for assaulting the child.

"It is clear you have issues with appropriate behaviour with children," he said, adding that the latest assault on a child happened only six weeks after he was sentenced for assaulting another child.

"This is your fifth conviction for violence within a domestic relationship. Home detention or community detention would be totally inappropriate."

- © Fairfax NZ News