Family violence campaign 'needs to be tougher'- judge

The official campaign against family violence is too soft and should be cranked up, says Taranaki's criminal judge.

Judge Allan Roberts made the comment in New Plymouth District Court while sentencing a man who had repeatedly bashed his wife throughout their relationship and in front of their young children. The judge said every day that he read the big signboard at the police station across the road from the courthouse, stating Family Violence is Not OK, it had an impact on him as he made decisions about jailing woman-beaters.

"But I don't think the message is as stark as it could be," Judge Roberts said. "All too often men resort to treating women as punching bags. It is a primitive and brutal activity."

Judge Harris told Tremain Harris, who pleaded guilty to punching his wife, that he should be ashamed of himself.

Women would never have the power to strike back as effectively, the judge said.

"And this disgraceful behaviour happened before your children."

Harris' lawyer, Turitea Bolstad, said Harris and his wife were now having counselling.

Judge Roberts said their fight in September had developed for a trivial reason: Lost car keys.

She had kicked him and then he punched her up to three or four times with a closed fist. "The woman who bore you your children then locked herself in the toilet to protect herself."

When she came out, he attacked her again. She suffered bruising over her face, body and legs. But she did not want her man going to prison. The judge read Harris' wife's victim impact statement to him where she said the constant beatings hurt her both physically and emotionally.

"I'm sick of it. It's been happening to me the whole time I've been with him. I think I deserve better," Harris' wife wrote. "She's on the money," the judge said. Whatever his wife's shortcomings, if there were any, there was never any reason to resort to violence, he told Harris.

"I've never got help before," Harris told the judge.

The judge said Harris had already spent time in prison for previous attacks on his wife but it had not impacted on him.

Harris, who could be facing up to 12 months in jail for the latest assault, deserved credit for going to counselling with his partner, the judge said.

Harris was sentenced to 200 hours' community work and nine months' supervision during which he was to complete anger management counselling.

"Inevitably I will jail you if you hurt this woman again. It's your last chance, Mr Harris."

- © Fairfax NZ News