A woman lost control and chased her partner out of the house with a large boning knife before slashing the tyres on his car, the Invercargill District Court was told last week.

Erana Elizabeth Nerehona, 25, appeared before Judge John Macdonald for intentional damage and possessing an offensive weapon, the boning knife, at Mataura on November 30.

She was sentenced to 125 hours' community work, 12 months' supervision and ordered to pay $782.35 reparation.

Judge Macdonald said Nerehona and her partner were arguing when she lost control and chased him out of the house and down the driveway with the knife.

She stabbed all four tyres of his car with the knife and smashed windows with a piece of firewood, he said.

Judge Macdonald said he accepted Nerehona's reaction was spontaneous but it was extreme and could have ended much worse.

Nerehona's lawyer Hannah Cuthill said the offending was spur of the moment.

Assault

Jim Junior Tepau Aeropo, 27, was sentenced to six months' home detention and ordered to pay $100 reparation for assault with intent to injure and threatening to kill on November 9.

The court was told Aeropo punched a woman in the head and face before grabbing her hair and dragging her across the road. While she was on the ground, he picked up gutter grating, which weighed about 14 kilograms, and held it above his head threatening to kill her. Judge Macdonald said Aeropo was found by police hiding in a wardrobe where he was aggressive, belligerent and spaced out on drugs.

Drink-driving

Brandon Warren De Garnham- Riley, 18, was sentenced to 200 hours' community work, nine months' supervision, disqualified from driving indefinitely and authorised to apply for a zero-alcohol licence for three years for driving with a breath alcohol level of 959mcg on December 6. The court was told it was his third drink- driving conviction.

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