Joshua Davies, 35, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a series of brutal assaults and violent threats against two women he was in relationships with.
His spate of violence began in early 2023 and included strangling one woman to unconsciousness, beating both with fists and weapons, and inflicting horrific injuries such as burns and head trauma.
Over a span of days, the two women were trapped in fear at the same house, where Davies’ violence escalated. They ultimately devised a plan to escape, with one woman ending up in the hospital, her injuries described as “horrific.” Even after his arrest, Davies made over 60 threatening phone calls from custody, vowing to mutilate and kill his victims and their families.
At sentencing in the Tauranga District Court, Judge Louis Bidois noted the huge physical and emotional toll on the victims, including long-term trauma and estrangement from their families.
Crown prosecutor Hannah Speight sought a strong sentence to deter similar acts, citing Davies’ 18 previous family violence convictions.
The judge acknowledged Davies’ difficult upbringing but said there was a need for denunciation and deterrence. Davies pleaded guilty to 19 charges, including assault, threats to kill, and attempting to pervert the course of justice, sparing his victims the ordeal of a trial.
