Irate partner avoids prison after assault

`Vigilante' punched man and took quadbike after traffic accident

A quadbike rider who became involved in a traffic accident with a woman was given a "hiding" by her irate partner who also rode away the farm machinery.

Farm manager Kyle Wiremu Harris, 28, escaped being given a jail term for taking the law into his own hands on Ormandy Rd, Maungakaramea, on April 28.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of assault with intent to injure, one of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and another of driving while disqualified.

Harris appeared for sentencing in the Whangarei District Court last week.

Judge Greg Davis said that at about 5pm on April 28, Harris was told of a traffic incident involving his partner and a person on a quadbike.

He got into a motor vehicle with his neighbour, chased the quadbike and approached its rider. Harris punched the quadbike rider for about 10 minutes before moving away and saying: "I am going to take your bike till you pay for fixing my bumper."

He suddenly turned around, ran back towards the complainant, and yelled: "My wife and kids could have died."

The complainant said: "You have given me enough of a hiding."

Harris punched him again several times then walked back to the quadbike before he returned and punched him again.

Judge Davis said Harris then jumped on the quadbike and drove away.

The complainant received a black eye, broken bones in his nose, bruises on his head and a concussion.

Harris' counsel, Wiremu Puriri, urged the court to follow a probation recommendation for a sentence of community detention.

Judge Davis said that rather than call the police Harris had adopted "vigilante" action by taking matters into his own hands. He said Harris could have helped police compile evidence about the driving incident earlier in the day.

Harris was sentenced to six months of community detention and 100 hours community work.

He must observe a 9.30pm to 4.30am daily curfew between for the duration of his community detention sentence. He has also been disqualified from driving or obtaining a licence for six months.