A 36-year-old man who broke into a home in Kolofo'ou and stole a mobile phone and assaulted a woman was sentenced to three years at Hu'atolitoli Prison at the Supreme Court in Nuku'alofa, on July 21.

Justice Robert Shuster sentenced Lisiate Hala'ufia, who had 12 previous convictions, to three years sentence starting today as a deterrent sentence and to protect women in their homes.

Lisiate had initially pleaded guilty to the three counts of housebreaking, theft and common assault in May.

The court was told that in January of this year at midnight he broke into a home at Kolofo'ou and stole a mobile phone valued at $170 and wilfully assaulted a woman in the house by gripping her arm.

Justice Shuster initially sentenced him to four years imprisonment. He suspended the final year for his guilty plea, meaning he would serve three years sentence.

"This is a deterrent sentence as my duty is to protect women in their own house whether they are asleep or awake at night. And there is no excuse to assaulting any woman in their house."