Jilted boyfriend broke in and sucked on ex-girlfriend’s neck

The woman woke the next morning to find bruising on her neck, caused during Shay Mauger’s uninvited night call. Photo / 123rf, File

A Dunedin man broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home, snuck into her bed, rubbed his groin against her back, and gave her a hickey, a court has heard.

Shay David Mauger, 19, was on bail at the time, barred from being within 50m of the house, Judge Joanna Maze told the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

She said the defendant was “extremely fortunate” to have had more serious charges dropped, eventually pleading guilty to assault in a family relationship.

There were obvious sexual overtones, the judge said.

Mauger’s problems began on December 7 when he was at home with his then partner.

An argument erupted over photos of her ex-boyfriend and the defendant burned some of the pictures before driving away.

When he returned soon after, the victim was sitting in a parked car.

As Mauger launched into another abusive rant, the woman locked the doors of the vehicle and phoned the police.

Once the defendant discovered he could not get at the woman, he went into a nearby garage and grabbed an axe, threatening to smash a window while demanding she end the call.

Mauger fled and police arrested him the next day.

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He was bailed on a range of conditions, but it took him less than a week to breach them.

Mauger broke a latch on a bathroom window and crawled inside his ex-partner’s house while the residents were asleep, the court heard.

After climbing into her bed, he rubbed his groin against her back, a police summary said.

The woman tried to push him away more than once but fell asleep again.

She woke the next morning to find bruises on her neck.

“The defendant had sucked on the right side of her neck causing … [light surface bruising] of the skin, commonly known as a hickey [lovebite],” court documents clarified.

Counsel John Westgate said Mauger’s offending – the first blemishes on his criminal record – could be put down to immaturity.

The relationship was now over.

“He doesn’t want anything to do with this victim at all,” Westgate said.

“He’s put it well behind him.”

Judge Maze acknowledged the six weeks Mauger had spent in prison and five months on restrictive bail.

He was sentenced to four months’ community detention, to be served in Christchurch, and nine months’ supervision.

The judge declined to impose community work since it could result in Mauger forming “adverse associations”.