Maharatia Tawhio Clarke walks from Southport District Court after choking his partner three times and forcing her to hit him

A dancer choked his partner on three occasions and also grabbed her fists and elbows to force her to strike him in the head. Here‘s what happened in court.

A dancer choked his partner on three occasions and also grabbed her fists and elbows to force her to strike him in the head.

Maharatia Tawhio Clarke subjected the woman to torment, assaulting her six times, over the course of their six month relationship.

The 30-year-old had originally blamed his partner as the instigator as the assaults had occurred after a fight.

Clarke pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court on Thursday to three counts of strangulation, three counts of common assault and two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm.

Maharatia Tawhio Clarke.

Acting Judge Katarina Prskalo sentenced him to three years’ prison with immediate release on parole.

“There is no question in my mind that the complainant would have been in fear of you,” she said.

“Your conduct would have been terrifying.”

Crown prosecutor Natalie Lima said the pair first got together in December 2020.

The first incident took place in January 2021 when the pair fought at Clarke’s unit before taking a shower together.

While in the shower Clarke put his arm around the woman’s neck and squeezed for two to three seconds, cutting off her airway.

Over the next few months Clarke would assault her on four separate occasions including throwing an office chair at her knee, crash tackling her, threatening to kill himself if she left and abusing her for half an hour.

The sixth and final incident of abuse on July 1, 2021, started after the woman told Clarke she did not think their relationship was working out.

He refused to let her leave for half an hour and when she said she was going to call police, Clarke tackled her and held his hand over her mouth.

She struggled away and tried to call for help through an open balcony door.

Clarke again strangled her, squeezing her neck and covering her mouth with his hands.

He then left the room and grabbed a knife, holding it to his stomach and threatened to stab himself.

Clarke’s housemate knocked on the door and when he was told it was just an argument, asked the pair to keep it down.

Clarke then grabbed the woman’s elbow and fists, using them to punch himself in the face.

The court was told the woman was crying asking Clarke to stop throughout the ordeal.

Ms Lima said: “It is a persistent pattern of violence.

“It was someone from who complaint could expect trust and protection and he has violated that trust.”

Defence barrister Matt Jackson, instructed by Behlau Murakami Grant, said Clarke accepted his conduct was “abhorrent and unjustified”.

He said at the time Clarke was struggling to cope with the speed the relationship was progressing.

Mr Jackson said Clarke believed the woman was the antagonist due to his own emotional vulnerabilities.

“That’s wrong and he now accepts that’s wrong,” he said.

Mr Jackson said Clarke, who works as a dancer including overseas, had a difficult childhood and had essentially been on his own since a teenager.

He said Clarke had been ongoing considerable counselling and for the first time was repairing relationship with his mother.

Mr Jackson said Clarke’s mother had hugged him for the first time.

Clarke had a dozen family members and friends supporting him in the back of court.

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Originally published as Maharatia Tawhio Clarke walks from Southport District Court after choking his partner three times and forcing her to hit him