Alexander Michael Taare-Kowhai in Rockhampton court for assault

Within one week of up-ending her life and moving interstate to start a relationship with a father-of-two, a young mother was threatened by her new partner and assaulted over lego and washing dishes.

Alexander Michael Taare-Kowhai, 35, pleaded guilty in the District Court in Rockhampton to two counts of common assault, and one count each of threat and wilful damage.

Within one week of up-ending her life in Darwin and moving to Rockhampton to start a relationship with a father-of-two she had known for a few years, a young mother was threatened by her new partner and assaulted over lego and washing dishes.

The 21-year-old victim had given up her job and moved to Rockhampton on October 7, 2022 with her young daughter and belongings to form a relationship with Alexander Michael Taare-Kowhai, 35.

She lived with Taare-Kowhai in a bus at the back of a home owned by another man.

The District Court in Rockhampton heard a week after moving in with Taare-Kowhai on October 14, 2022, the victim was building lego.

Crown prosecutor Ken Spinaze said the accused had an issue with the way the victim was building the lego and Taare-Kowhai yelled at her, “You’re f–king dog s–t”.

Mr Spinaze said Taare-Kowhai followed the victim outside where she questioned him about “why he was going crazy over lego” and he punched her in the head.

“The victim felt immediate pain and discomfort,” he said.

Mr Spinaze said the victim was locked out of the bus for 15 minutes and then she was threatened.

“When she went inside she went to lie down,” he said.

“But the defendant told her, ‘Come lay here or I will drag you out and you can sleep outside’.

“The victim complied because she was scared and had no money to leave back to the Northern Territory and to her family.”

Mr Spinaze said about one week later on October 21, 2022 the victim confronted Taare-Kowhai about him talking to another woman from Darwin.

He said Taare-Kowhai told her not to touch his phone and smashed her phone until it shattered into pieces.

Mr Spinaze said a short time later Taare-Kowhai confronted her with a spoon or fork, stating, “You didn’t wash this”, and then rushed at her.

He said Taare-Kowhai kicked the victim in the chest, causing her to fall back onto a couch, and continued to kick her in the shins while she was crying.

Taare-Kowhai was arrested on October 26, 2022.

Taare-Kowhai’s defence barrister, Julie Marsden, said her client was born in New Zealand and could potentially be deported.

“He has prepared himself for that,” she said.

Ms Marsden said upon her client’s release, if he was not deported, he planned to move near his two children in Mackay.

She said her client was single and had no intention to resume a relationship with the victim, who had returned to Darwin.

Ms Marsden said alcohol had been a problem for her client, who started drinking when he was 13 years old.

“He wasn’t coping with the loss of the relationship with the mother of his children,” she said.

“In relation to the offending, he had been drinking, they had both been dealing with past trauma with relationships and there were trust issues that played a part in the breakdown of the relationship.

“He acknowledges he had very high expectations of the new relationship and that it was building up to breaking point.”

Taare-Kowhai pleaded guilty to two counts of common assault, and one count each of threat and wilful damage.

Judge Jeff Clarke sentenced Taare-Kowhai to 481 days prison with immediate release on parole and declared 481 days of pre-sentence custody as time already served.

Originally published as Alexander Michael Taare-Kowhai in Rockhampton court for assault