Tusigaigou Amitunaia: Lismore man sentenced for girlfriend assault

A Samoan national attacked his partner in a jealous rage after a night at Mary G’s, punching her because he believed she was flirting.

A Samoan national who assaulted his girlfriend because he thought she was flirting with other men has avoided jail time.

Lismore resident Tusigaigou Amitunaia, 38, faced sentence in Lismore Local Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, two counts of common assault and stalking/intimidation.

Two counts of common assault were also taken into account upon sentence.

Amitunaia had been seeing his partner since mid 2021 when a few drinks and a night out led him to the incident which landed him in court.

The pair had been drinking Jim Beam at home before heading to Mary G’s on December 4 last year, according to agreed court facts.

They continued drinking at the venue and when the bar closed, they hopped into a car, but Amitunaia soon turned on his partner, accusing her of flirting with other men.

“Why are you doing what you are doing? You’re pissing me off…talking to the Tongan boys,” Amitunaia told his partner, according to court facts.

She denied it but Amitunaia punched her face and took her mobile phone.

At his home, Amitunaia renewed the attack, punching his partner’s chest, ripping her bra and underwear off, grabbing her by the hair and forcing her down onto the bed, according to court facts.

Continuing to accuse her of flirting, Amitunaia told his partner he wouldn’t return her phone until he had his back, despite her insistence it had been left at Mary G’s.

Tusigaigou Amitunaia was sentenced in Lismore Local Court on Wednesday, August 24, 2022.

Some time later, the victim attempted to leave the home but Amitunaia jumped on her car bonnet and told her to ‘get my phone’ from Mary G’s which was closed, the facts state.

Amitunaia’s partner then headed alone to her cousin’s house but he continued to harass her when she asked for her phone back, sending her a “no f*** you” message, shortly followed by “I miss you”, court facts state.

When the victim returned to Amitunaia with her cousin, he then punched the cousin in the face, asking if a man had been in the car, before biting his partner’s lip when she pulled away from a kiss, the court facts state.

Solicitor Natasha Wood told the court on Wednesday that Amitunaia had a three-year working visa and full time employment at the Casino meatworks, with qualifications as professional tattooist in Samoa.

She said he had faced collateral punishment as he was temporarily stood down from work while investigations took place after charges were laid.

Ms Wood noted Amitunaia was the sole financial guardian for his 15-year-old son in Samoa and would experience “onerous” conditions if placed in custody due to his background.

Magistrate Jeff Linden convicted Amitunaia and sentenced him to a 12-month intensive corrections order.

He will also face a two-year apprehended violence order for the protection of his ex-partner.