A case in which a man assaulted his girlfriend has been adjudicated in a plea agreement, one of several heard this morning in District Court.
Charged with assault 3rd degree and public peace disturbance, the defendant admitted to the assault charge and in return the court dismissed the PPD charge.
When District Court Judge Fiti Sunia asked him to explain what happened, the defendant who is a foreigner, said he had a fight with his Samoan girlfriend.
Asked to explained in detail, he said, “I punched her.”
The man informed the court that he was on a one year contract with a fishing company from New Zealand that sells its catch to the local canneries.
He’s here for two weeks at a time while their fishing vessel resupplies for their usual two month long fishing trip.
Judge Sunia said “the court sees this as an unusual situation, referring to the fact that the defendant has to leave the territory.
The judge said there is no way the defendant is going to complete his counseling with “that kind of schedule.’
Before the court sentenced the defendant, the prosecutor, Assistant Attorney General Jedidiah Bigelow informed the judge that the defendant’s girlfriend approached him and asked that he not be charged.
She said she had forgiven him.
The defendant was sentenced to 30 days in jail but that was suspended and he was placed on 12 months probation.
Judge Sunia told both the defense and the prosecutor that the court has tried its best to accommodate the sentencing recommendation and the defendant’s schedule.
The judge explained to the defendant his actions could’ve seriously injured the victim.
Sunia ordered the defendant not to harass, abuse nor threaten his girlfriend whenever he comes into port and to check in with Probation every time he’s here.
