Man sentenced over claw hammer attack

A jealous lover was today jailed for a claw hammer attack on a man who he believed to be his ex-girlfriend's new partner.

Trevor William Grindrod, 34, was sentenced at the High Court in Wellington to seven years and nine months imprisonment.

Justice Warwick Gendall said that six weeks after Grindrod split with his girlfriend, he visited her house uninvited and saw her with a workmate, "you thought, in a mildly amorous situation".

The man barricaded himself in the bedroom and told Grindrod he had called the police, "but you were not to be denied," attacking him with the claw hammer, Justice Gendall said.

"This was an unprovoked, prolonged, gratuitous attack with a lethal weapon," Justice Gendall said.

"You were fortunate you did not kill the complainant."

Crown prosecutor Kate Feltham said Grindrod walked from Wainuiomata to the workmate's Lower Hutt house, "picking up" the hammer on the way.

He smashed his way into the property through a window, broke through the bedroom door and began hitting the man in the head and body with the hammer, adding punches and kicks.

The attack spilled into the bathroom where Grindrod ripped a vanity from the wall and attempted to beat his victim with it.

Grindrod told police he was trying to kill the man and was initially charged with attempted murder.

This was later reduced to injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

His victim suffered numerous injuries including a broken nose, but after months of physiotherapy escaped long term physical damage.

Justice Gendall noted Grindrod had 20 previous convictions, four of which were for assault and included two attacks on children between late 2007 and early 2008.

"You are a violent man with a low anger threshold and when slighted by others, or you think you are, you attack."

He said Grindrod had attended an anger management course, "but it appears to have had little effect."

A starting point of 10 1/2 years jail was given, but Grindrod was given a "generous discount" of one-third for his early guilty pleas. A further nine months was added in light of his previous convictions.

Grindrod was also sentenced to five years for aggravated burglary and two years for grievous damage, to be served concurrently, and ordered to pay $3269 in reparation for property damage on his release.

Justice Gendall said Grindrod was fortunate the crown had not sought a minimum jail period.

- NZPA