A Kaitaia man who allegedly beat his wife on Saturday night, while the couple's babies aged one and two years, watched in fear has not been charged.
According to police the victim did not wish to lay a complaint, but has requested a protection order against the offender.
A police spokesman said the children had been screaming and crying, with officers responding to a call made by neighbours.
That was one of numerous incidents police in Kaitaia responded to over recent days, ranging from serious violence to little short of bizarre. One call was from a woman who complained that her child had left his bicycle in the driveway.
A man was charged with assaulting a female and wilful damage on Sunday afternoon after an argument with his mother. The offender allegedly slapped the complainant's face, threatened her with a fence paling and smashed windows.
A man was arrested on Saturday evening and charged with assaulting a female after he allegedly head-butted the victim and swung her by her arm.
He then pulled the phone out of the wall to prevent her from calling police and locked the gate and front door of the house to prevent her from leaving.
She escaped via the back door and ran to a neighbour's house.