Today the High Court sentenced a man who held a knife to his partner’s neck in May of last year to five years imprisonment.
According to Associate Justice Fiti Sunia, while the defendant Aukusitione Fanene was charged with second degree assault, what he did was very dangerous and in a split second could have resulted in death.
Fanene’s attorney Public Defender Michael White had asked that his client, who has spent 10 months in jail, be placed on probation and not be given additional jail time.
He said Fanene has unresolved anger issues for which he has not received any counseling. The defense attorney also referred to Fanene’s checkered past and said he wants to change.
Associate Justice Sunia pointed out that the defendant didn’t have a checkered past but rather a string of convictions including assault, stealing, robbery, aiding and abetting. He said probation will not work and promptly sentenced Fanene to a straight five year jail term.
