The court martial is being held at Burnham Military Camp. Photo: RNZ/Nathan McKinnon
The complainant in a court martial of a solider accused of assaulting his former partner has been honest and upfront, even offering damaging information about herself, the prosecution says.
The army corporal, who has interim name suppression, is facing two charges of male assaults female.
The charges were downgraded this morning from two counts of strangulation.
Judge Tini Clark told the military panel on Tuesday morning that the prosecution had amended the charges due to a discrepancy around the date of the accusations.
During cross-examination on Monday by defence lawyer Andrew McCormick, the complainant conceded she was unsure whether the events happened in 2018 or 2019.
A specific charge of strangulation was introduced into law at the end of 2018.
It carries a maximum penalty of seven years' jail, compared to two for male assaults female.
In his closing address, prosecutor Captain John Whitcombe said the woman's evidence had been truthful and consistent throughout, including about her own bad behaviour.
He said when being cross examined by the defence the woman was asked about hitting the accused.
"Her answer immediately was - with a glass. She volunteered that she had hit him with a glass. She wasn't trying to minimise that or hide her actions on that evening. She was honest and upfront about what she had done," said Whitcombe.
He said the complainant's evidence was straightforward and consistent throughout.
However the lawyer for the soldier said the woman had concocted a story when her future in the military was threatened.
Defence lawyer Andrew McCormick said in his closing address that the woman claimed, without evidence, she had marks on her neck on both occasions after being strangled.
"She conceded that her neck would have been visible all week when these marks, she says, were there. But no one said anything."
He said her evidence was that people did see the marks, but did not want to say anything to her about them.
McCormick said it was more likely that no one mentioned the marks because the incidents did not happen.
On Wednesday morning Judge Tini Clark will give her summing up, before the military panel makes their decision on the case.
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