( dpa )- A judge ordered a New Zealand man who repeatedly hit his wife to write an essay on domestic violence to avoid a conviction for assault that would cost him his job, a newspaper reported on Thursday.
Jeffrey Wetini Reid, 41, came before the Wellington District Court because one of his three children phoned police to report that he was repeatedly punching his wife, the Dominion Post reported.
Reid admitted the assault but his lawyer told the court that a conviction would cost him his job as a security officer and leave his family facing financial ruin.
Judge Bruce Davidson delayed passing sentence on Wednesday, saying he may discharge him without conviction in nine months if he stays out of trouble, writes an essay on domestic violence and makes a contribution to a charity involved in the issue.