A Fiji-born man in New Zealand convicted of beating his wife so severely as she held their baby daughter that he temporarily deafened her has been asked by the Immigration New Zealand for him to leave the country as soon as possible.
26-year-old Jone Vuetaki was sentenced in the Timaru District Court to 130 hours of community work in August for the vicious assault of his wife in November last year.
The Fiji‑born meat worker denied the charge but was found guilty after a trial.
Following his sentencing, Immigration New Zealand revealed that Vuetaki was in the country illegally as he has been overstaying since March this year.
They say that Vuetaki is liable for deportation however they are strongly encouraging him to settle his affairs and make arrangements to leave the country as soon as possible by departing voluntarily.
Meanwhile Vuetaki’s defacto wife says that Vuetaki is now free to leave the country on his own and if he is not gone in a few weeks, he will be deported.
She says that she was disappointed that Vuetaki would not have to do the community work that was given to him during his sentencing however she is relieved that he is going to leave New Zealand.
An Immigration New Zealand spokesman confirmed Vuetaki would soon be sent back to Fiji.
Vuetaki had assaulted his wife after an argument.
She was holding their 9‑month‑old daughter at the time.
Vuetaki swung at her, hitting her hard on the left side of the face.
She fell to the ground, and realised she could not hear in which her eardrum had been perforated.
Due to this her hearing was affected for some time after the assault.
Meanwhile, the court heard during his trial that Vuetaki had been abusing his wife for years.
The couple have since separated.
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