WARNING: This story is about family violence and may be distressing.

A mother was in tears as she shut her eyes and blocked her ears when a man’s campaign of terror over her family was revealed in court.

She had endured ongoing violence from him over a six-month period, before he turned his attention to her daughter.

The woman’s tears continued as her daughter went on to describe how his actions had affected her too.

“It has changed my life, since the abuse happened, I don’t feel like a normal kid anymore, I feel nervous.

The girl was 11 when the man, who has name suppression, showed her online pornography, told her to undress and then indecently assaulted her.

“I don’t trust people like I used to, I have a hard time focusing on school now, I try to pay attention, but my head goes blank, I feel like I can’t keep up anymore,” she told the court during his sentencing this week.

“I just get angry, other times I start crying, people think I am being dramatic, but they don’t know what is going on inside.

“I can’t be around crowds, I used to be happier, more outgoing and confident, I have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“I didn’t deserve what happened and I don’t want to feel like this forever.”

The pair were caught up in what was described by Judge Raoul Neave in the Christchurch District Court as a campaign of violence and terror.

Judge Neave said the offending occurred during a sustained period of violence, fear and control.

“They must have been living in fear.”

Weekly beatings

The court heard of numerous assaults; the man had initially accused the girl’s mother of cheating and pushed her up against a wall, about six months into their relationship.

He then backhand punched her while she was holding a baby in the back seat of a car he was driving.

After that he started verbally abusing her almost every day .

“She would get a hiding at least once a week,” Judge Neave said.

He would punch her while she was holding an infant, and sometimes in the face.

Another incident resulted in a permanent scar on her neck.

Christchurch District Court Photo / Nate McKinnon, RNZ

On yet another occasion, he held a kitchen knife to her neck and applied pressure.

“She thought you were going to kill her,” the judge said.

The assaults continued after she discovered she was pregnant.

The woman told the man in a statement she read in court that she “walked on eggshells” around him as the assaults happened while the children were present.

One thing that could not be excused was the sexual abuse of her daughter, she said.

“She was 11, the fact she looked up to her, you have caused trauma that will never be erased.

“I am terrified of seeing you again, it is essential for everyone here to understand the impact of his actions.”

Victim shuts her eyes and blocks her ears

The woman, who was visibly emotional throughout the proceedings, shut her eyes and blocked her ears as Judge Neave started to sentence the man.

“I have received a lot of information about you; there is lack of empathy and minimisation.”

Some of the offending occurred while the man was coming down from methamphetamine, the judge said.

There had been a background of health difficulties, family problems and a history of drug use.

Judge Neave said it was possible other factors were paired in the man’s inability to make sound judgments, but not a “huge” link.

“This was sustained violence, assault in varying types, use of weapons, any number of household items available to you.

“The victim suffered from a number of injuries; they were varied and numerous and repeated.”

At times the victim was very vulnerable because of her pregnancy, especially when she was on the ground during the assaults, the judge said.

Judge Neave said the assault against the child victim was aggravated by the viewing of pornography.

“It was sustained and intrusive.”

Violent and sexual offending

Crown prosecutor Penny Brown said it was both violent and sexual offending with numerous and extensive attacks to the neck and in the presence of children.

There was also a risk to an unborn child, she said.

“I want to say the guilty plea was extremely late, it spared the young victim from giving evidence at trial.”

Defence lawyer Kathy Basire said there were multiple reports and letters of support and she described him as a “different man now”.

She said a sentence of home detention could be reached.

There was a “nexus” with his background issues in terms of the offending, she said.

Judge Neave responded, saying the man had turned into a “violent terrorist in the home”.

Basire said he was coming down off methamphetamine.

“It doesn’t justify or explain six months of violence,” the judge said.

Judge Neave jailed the man for two years and 10 months on charges of an indecent act with a child, exposure of a young person to indecent material, assault with a weapon (representative), assault on a person in a family relationship (representative) and assault on a person in a family relationship.

FAMILY VIOLENCE

How to get help: If you're in danger now: • Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you.
• Run outside and head for where there are other people. Scream for help so your neighbours can hear you.
• Take the children with you. Don't stop to get anything else.
• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay.
Where to go for help or more information:
• Women's Refuge: Crisis line - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 (available 24/7)
• Shine: Helpline - 0508 744 633 (available 24/7)
• It's Not Ok: Family violence information line - 0800 456 450
• Shakti: Specialist services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and children.
• Crisis line - 0800 742 584 (available 24/7)
• Ministry of Justice: For information on family violence
• Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga: National Network of Family Violence Services
• White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women.
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Al Williams is an Open Justice reporter for the New Zealand Herald, based in Christchurch. He has worked in daily and community titles in New Zealand and overseas for the last 16 years. Most recently he was editor of the Hauraki-Coromandel Post, based in Whangamatā. He was previously deputy editor of the Cook Islands News.