• Stephen Marriott has been sentenced for assault and strangulation at Auckland District Court.
• He is suspended from his job as an Auckland Airport emergency firefighter.
• Katherine Turner says she thought she would die during his attacks
• Turner is speaking out because she believes Marriott is a risk to other women

When she saw Stephen Marriott on Tinder, Katherine Turner swiped right. He swiped right back. They thought they were a perfect match.

Turner, 35, says the Auckland Airport emergency firefighter and former calendar boy ticked all her boxes.

On their first date at Long Bay Surf Club in June 2020, they chatted over drinks and ate chicken wings. Later, they went back to Turner’s for more cocktails. Marriott, 38, stayed the night and, as Turner describes it, “he never left”.

Stephen Marriott, a former calendar model and Auckland Airport emergency firefighter, was sentenced this week for assault and strangulation. Photo / Supplied

“Four weeks later he moved in. He was good-looking and made me feel special. But things changed quickly. It started with him calling me names, putting me down then it turned into physical stuff...He would snap and go from zero to a hundred,” Turner told the Herald.

They were a couple for 18 months. In 2021, Stephen Marriott faced seven charges: four for strangulation and three for male assaults female.

The pair had a baby together in January 2022. And in November last year he was convicted on one charge each of strangulation and male assaults female.

Stephen Marriott received a non-custodial sentence for a charge of assaulting a female and another for strangulation. Photo / Supplied

The firefighter - who is suspended from his job at Auckland Airport - was sentenced this week to six months of community detention, 100 hours of community work and nine months of supervision.

When approached by the Herald, Marriott declined to comment.

At the Auckland District Court he was supported by his friend, former Warriors League player and fellow firefighter, Wade McKinnon, the pair cheering and high-fiving after the sentencing.

Turner didn’t attend and is disappointed by Marriott’s sentence, telling the Herald she believes it was too lenient.

“This is devastating, I can’t believe this because I know he’s a risk” she said.

“My brother said ‘Kathy, this will follow him forever.’ I fought for the truth and now everyone will know what he did to me.”

Stephen Marriott and Katherine Turner. Turner was assaulted and strangled by him. Photo / Supplied

At the sentencing Judge Brooke Gibson said he didn’t believe Marriott had shown remorse and said, “You are more of a risk than you believe you are.”

Turner had two young children when she met Marriott. She had recently separated and says she was captured by his charms.

“He was tall, dark and handsome, and made me feel safe. He drew me in. Everything happened so quickly - the speed of the relationship, moving in, wanting a baby, wanting marriage, buying a house together.”

Turner says six months into their relationship they started trying for a baby and Marriott bought her a diamond ring. He set up a WhatsApp family group chat to discuss plans for a wedding, to be held at the Long Bay Surf club where they first met.

“When you are in it it’s like a fairytale romance. Looking back, I think oh my god, how did I not realise this?”

The early childhood teacher says after an argument, Marriott cancelled the engagement.

“The marriage thing was like dangling candy in front of me. He manipulated me and said ‘if you want this lifestyle you need to behave better and do what I say.’

Turner claims Marriott monitored her phone calls, banned her ex-husband from visiting and demanded she remove a tattoo that had her child’s surname on it.

“He is a firefighter: supposed to protect and save lives but he used his power to manipulate and abuse me behind closed doors.”

Turner says she is speaking publicly for the first time in order to raise understanding of domestic violence, which she says comes in many guises - and crept up on her.

Katherine Turner says she is relieved her former partner Stephen Marriott's violence is now public. Photo / Michael Craig.

One of the more shocking days came on April 2021, she says.

Turner was on the phone with a friend when Marriott ripped the phone out of her hand.

“He was upset I wasn’t paying attention to him. He grabbed me and threw me onto the bed. He called me a c**t, kicked me. He got on top of me, pinned me down, had his hands around my neck and strangled me so tight I don’t remember if I passed out.

“When I came to I asked Steve where my phone was. He said, ‘Shut the fuck up or I will smash your head through the wall and I won’t stop until it goes through.’ I genuinely thought I was going to die.”

Fearing for her life, Turner turned to her brother, a former police officer.

“I never told my family about the abuse because Stephen promised he would stop and change. But every time he hurt me it would be worse. I thought he is going to kill me so I finally got my family involved.”

Stephen Marriott and Katherine Turner. Marriott was sentenced for assault and strangulation at Auckland District Court. Photo / Supplied

Turner left Marriott and stayed with a friend.

“I asked Stephen to move out. I didn’t want to put up with him hurting me anymore. I told him ‘if this carries on I will end up dead in the ground’.”

The Herald has obtained several texts from Mariott to Turner in which he tried to explain his violence, and begged for her to return.

In one text Marriott said he had been fasting “too hard” and dealing with an injury. He said he felt pressure adjusting to fatherhood, finding a house and organising their engagement.

“Please remember I grabbed you when I was very drunk and very hurt by what you said to me. It’s not an excuse but it wasn’t unprovoked.

“I haven’t slept, I feel sick, I can’t lose you like this. I’ll never forgive myself. You don’t need to be scared of me - I’m begging for you. You are ripping my heart and trust me I know what I’ve caused.”

Turner says she suffers from PTSD and has stopped teaching. Hearing children’s screams triggers her, she says, and she avoids Auckland Airport in case she sees Marriott.

Katherine Turner says Stephen Marriott became increasingly controlling over time and monitored her phone calls. Photo / Michael Craig

Turner has rejected Marriott’s apologies. “He never took responsibility and never showed remorse ... up until now he made me relive my trauma, accused me of lying and made every effort to discredit me and avoid accountability.

“His friends and colleagues believed what he said - they...didn’t ask if I was ok. It’s a boys club. When you are trying to stand up to those men it’s really hard. I hope no other woman has to go through what I have” Turner told the Herald.

Katherine Turner claimed Stephen Marriott strangled her so hard she passed out. Photo / Michael Craig

An Auckland Airport spokesperson said in a statement:

“Auckland Airport has zero tolerance for violence or abuse of any kind.

“Our employees, including our Auckland Airport’s Emergency Service (AES) team members, are held to the highest standards of personal conduct, given the important role they play in caring for travellers and their safety and security.

“Auckland Airport is not able to comment on employment matters.”

Katherine Turner says she was too scared to tell her family about the abuse. "Now everyone will know what he did to me” she told the Herald. Photo / Michael Craig

Turner is studying towards her masters in clinical neuropsychology.

She believes Marriott is a risk to other women. “I’m glad I stood up to him and called him out on the abuse, so I have some justice. I can’t bear the thought of him harming someone else.”

Carolyne Meng-Yee is an Auckland-based investigative journalist who won Best Documentary at the Voyager Media Awards in 2022. She worked for the Herald on Sunday from 2007-2011 and rejoined the Herald in 2016 after working as an award-winning current affairs producer at TVNZ’s 60 Minutes, 20/20 and Sunday.