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Man shocked to learn he had tied up partner
Troy Michael Wells was visibly shocked when he read the police account of what he had done to his partner.
He was so drunk at the time he could not remember the incident, defence counsel Steven Hembrow told a Christchurch District Court sentencing session at the Rangiora Court House.
Wells now says he has not drunk any alcohol since the March incident.
He was appearing for sentence on charges of assaulting a woman and intentional damage.
The police said Wells, a 37-year-old fencer, went home drunk at about 11pm on March 2. He berated his partner for going out the previous evening, and leaving him to care for their child.
He continued abusing her while she sat on the couch. He spat in her face, then went into the kitchen to light a cigarette, and picked up a vegetable knife. She tried to escape to the neighbours to call police but he stopped her.
He dropped the knife and grabbed her by the left arm and head, threw her to the ground and slapped her face.
She got up and went to the couch and he picked up the knife and sat next to her.
He got some speaker wire and told her lie on the couch on her front, and he tied her wrists together behind her back.
He lay on a different couch, and turned off the light, but after a while he untied her and went to the spare room and fell asleep.
Defence counsel Steven Hembrow said Wells had a severe problem with alcohol but had not consumed any since March. He had already spent four weeks in custody and a further three-and-a-half months on electronic bail.
His partner had tried to get the matters withdrawn, and he had been visiting her so that he had contact with his young child, Mr Hembrow said.
He said there was no injury to the woman, and Wells was genuinely ashamed of his behaviour.
Judge Colin Doherty said Wells behaved very badly, and had a past littered with assaults.
His victim said he was a good person when sober, but drink was evil for him.
His probation report said he had genuine remorse and wanted to knock off the booze, Judge Doherty said.
He sentenced him to 100 hours community work, 12 months intensive supervision with an assessment for alcohol treatment, and an anger management programme.
