A MOTHER of three convicted of pouring hot water on her de facto partner has been handed a one-year and 11-month imprisonment term suspended for three years.
The 32-year-old resident of Newtown pleaded guilty to a count each of act with intent to cause grievous harm and assault committed on September 13 last year.
At about 10am that day, the 44-year-old victim came home drunk while the accused was preparing for work. An argument soon erupted.
The man then went to the room to sleep and the woman, still angry, followed him into the room and poured a cup filled with hot water on her de-facto partner who reported the matter to the Valelevu Police Station.
The first-time offender informed the court in her mitigation that she had reconciled with the complainant and they had agreed to resume living together as a couple.
She was also remorseful for her actions and sought the forgiveness of the High Court in Suva.
“In this case, the accused person’s culpability is high as she had attacked the complainant with a hot iron the previous week prior to the attack with a cup of hot water,” Justice Usaia Ratuvili ruled yesterday.
“Her actions are serious, and the only proper sanction is a sentence of imprisonment.”
Justice Ratuvili ruled that since the accused had shown remorse for her actions, “the court will also promote your rehabilitation”.
“The court therefore finds the most appropriate sentence for you is a suspended sentence”.
Justice Ratuvili also imposed an interim Domestic Violence Restraining Order for the protection of the complainant.
