Court punishes revenge attack

File photo / NZ Herald

A man who tried to avenge the death of his defacto sister-in-law, and had his arm broken in the process, has been sentenced to community work and ordered to pay $1300 reparation.

Matthew Anderson, 25, of Waimangaroa, pleaded guilty in the Westport District Court yesterday to one charge of threatening behaviour and two of wilful damage.

His defacto sister-in-law, 16-year-old Jade Wihongi, died in a drink-driving crash last Labour Weekend.

She was the passenger in a vehicle driven by Clark Pablecheque, 17, who is to be sentenced on May 26 for dangerous driving causing death, drink driving, threatening to kill and failing to report an injury accident.

Anderson attacked the Westport home of Pablecheque's parents last December.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Harris said Anderson had climbed a 2m fence to get into the property of the sleeping family and begun screaming threats at Pablecheque.

In the ensuing fracas, Anderson smashed five bi-fold windows with a rock, smashed the windows of Pablecheque's mother Linda's car and had his arm broken in three places when Pablecheque's father, Harold, hit him with a bat.

Anderson ran off after a short struggle with Mr Pablecheque.

When police arrested him he was agitated and seemed drunk, Mr Harris said.

Defending, George Linder said Anderson had made a spur-of-the-moment decision to go to the Pablecheque's house.

Judge Noel Walsh told Anderson he fully appreciated Anderson was Ms Wihongi's de facto brother-in-law.

"Her death was a terrible tragedy for the Wihongi family and something Clark will carry with him for the rest of his life.

"But going round to people's homes two months after a tragedy is a blatant attempt to terrorise and intimidate and it had dire effects on the occupants of the house."

Harold Pablecheque's victim impact statement said the attack on his family was a "horrifying ordeal".

As a 63-year-old with type two diabetes, he was now worried about having to defend his family and could not sleep at night. It had taken a toll on his health.

Clark Pablecheque's statement said he had had to watch his father fend off an attacker and was deeply concerned about the impact on his father's health. He had not felt safe since the attack.

Judge Walsh told Anderson the Wihongi family did not need him getting involved, and it had only made matters worse.

Anderson's saving grace was that he had a full-time job.

"My message to you is to leave the Pablecheques alone. Leave them alone or you'll end up in prison."

Clark Pablecheque was due for sentencing yesterday but had his court date adjourned because his lawyer, Doug Taffs, was in Greymouth defending Hokitika murderer Jeffery Frost.

Pablecheque had previously appeared in the Youth Court, where he had name suppression.

However, police successfully pushed to have him tried as an adult due to the seriousness of his offending and name suppression has been lifted.

The police summary said Pablecheque had an excess breath alcohol reading of 453mcg at the time of the crash -- three times the legal limit for an under 20-year-old, which was 150mcg at the time.

When bystanders had pleaded with him to remain at the crash scene as Ms Wihongi lay dying he turned to one and said: "I am going to f***ing stab you. I have a knife in my shoe."

- NZPA