A man has been jailed for seven and a half years for subjecting his ex-girlfriend to months of physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse.
Photo: Rafael Ben-Ari/Chameleons Eye/ 123rf
He continues to deny the offending after being found guilty of eight charges - including two of sexual violation - after a judge-alone trial last month.
At his sentencing today, the woman spoke about her long road to recovery after leaving the violent relationship that left her a broken person.
"The physical pain he has caused me pales in significance to the emotional damage. His behaviour towards me robbed everything I held to be right and true in the world.
"I changed from a confident young woman to somebody who's trust in people was completely broken."
The man abused the woman physically, sexually, emotionally and financially before she left him seven months into their relationship and obtained a protection order.
He slapped and pushed her during arguments, drained her savings account of more than $10,000, and once held a knife to her throat before forcing her to perform sexual acts against her will.
The woman told the court she lost confidence in herself and her own judgment and had carried shame about what happened to her.
She said it was only thanks to years of support - both personal and professional - that she was able to rebuild confidence in herself, others and the future.
"To ask for help from others to rebuild your life is an extremely difficult thing to do but it is what I have done and despite it all, and because of the work I have put in, I walk away from this ordeal with strength, love and an amazing future to look forward to."
After listening to her victim impact statement, Justice Brewer said it was to the woman's credit she now felt positive about being able to move on with her life.
The court heard a pre-sentence report found the man showed no remorse, continued to deny the offending and had made no effort to apologise to the woman.
Justice Brewer said the report writer considered the man continued to be at a high risk of reoffending and the judge had not found any mitigating features in the case.
Aggravating features included breach of trust, the woman's vulnerability, the woman's trauma and the particular cruelty of the man's crimes.
The judge said the abuse was physical and sexual but it went further to include emotional and financial abuse.
"Your relationship was also marked by your manipulation of [the woman]. You exercised control over her by giving and withholding affection, sudden anger and violence and by telling lies."
Justice Brewer said even though a Section 27 cultural report found the man had grown up in a broken, violent home estranged from his family and culture, there was no clear link between his background and his crimes.
He jailed the man for seven and a half years, imposing no minimum non-parole period.
The defendant appeared unmoved throughout the sentencing.
His lawyer Belinda Sellars QC told RNZ she had instructions to appeal both the conviction and sentence.