Whangārei father who choked son and made brothers fight sentenced to home detention

The father became enraged when his sons lied about getting in trouble at school. Photo / 123rf

WARNING: This story may be upsetting to some readers.

After assaulting his two young sons, including throwing one by the hair and choking the other against a wall, a father forced the brothers to fight each other.

He filmed the confrontation and sent it to their mother, behaviour a judge described as “quite bizarre”.

The man, who is in his 20s, appeared in the Whangārei District Court for sentencing on two charges of assault on a child, strangulation and neglect related to his two sons.

A summary of facts read in court said one day last year, the boys arrived at school early to play with a ball but when one threw it at his brother’s head, they got into a fight.