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Offender Databases Nigel Wharton

Nigel Murray Wharton

Alias

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Offences

Kidnapped and assaulted his former partner in Rotorua in November 2001
Had previously assaulted and threatened her

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

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Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1966

Current Location

unknown

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to 4 years 6 months in November 2002
To be updated

Background
From NZ Herald story November 2002

A man who attacked his former partner so violently the fibrolight cladding he smashed her head into broke has been jailed for 4-1/2 years. Nigel Murray Wharton, 36, a truck driver from Rotorua, had pleaded guilty to an assault charge. In addition, he was found guilty by a jury in August of kidnapping. He was acquitted during the trial of two charges of rape and two charges of sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.Sentencing Wharton yesterday, Judge James Weir said the woman had every right to be frightened because Wharton was on a six-month suspended prison sentence for assaulting her, threatening to kill her and breaching a protection order.

In November last year Wharton asked his former partner to go to his house because he claimed there was something wrong with his five-year-old son. After realising he had lied about why he wanted her there, she tried to leave.Judge Weir said Wharton pulled her from her car, smashed her head against the concrete floor, stuffed blocks of wood into her mouth to stop her screaming, kneed her in her face up to five times and smashed her head on the side of the house - resulting in the fibrolite cladding breaking. Wharton then carried the woman into the house where he held her against her will until the following morning.Wharton's lawyer, Bill Lawson, said the assault charge was the most serious offence, and suggested between two and 2-1/2 years jail would be appropriate, taking into consideration Wharton had pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman.

However, Judge Weir said the kidnapping charge was more serious because of Wharton's background. 'You had already threatened to kill her and it was little wonder she was too scared to move after you seriously assaulted her."He said Wharton kept the woman in the house because he knew he was in serious trouble for what he had done, in light of his suspended prison sentence."You were suicidal. If you had cared for her, you would have got her medical attention." He sentenced Wharton to 2-1/2 years' for assault and 4-1/2 years' for kidnapping. The sentences will be served concurrently.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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