A pub game of pool turned violent when one of the players attacked his opponent with a cue.
Mykele Johansen was escorted from the bar and trespassed after whacking the victim with the cue four times in the head and body.
He attacked a second victim outside by punching him in the eye and then stomping on him after approaching the man to shake his hand.
There was a suggestion both victims injured in the attacks were “surprised” by Johansen’s actions, Judge Garry Barkle said in the Nelson District Court today.
One received a cut to the head and the other received a cut to his eye and hand.
Judge Barkle said “clearly, alcohol was a factor” in Johansen’s conduct, which seemed out of character for a person with the capacity for long-term positive behaviour, and who was a good, contributing member of society.
However, the charges on which the self-employed builder was sentenced, assault with a weapon and assault with intent to injure, were serious and the incident “should not be underestimated in any way”, Judge Barkle said.
Johansen knew both victims via mutual acquaintances, police said.
On October 29, 2023, they were playing pool together at the Turf Bar on Songer St in Nelson.
About 1am, Johansen took a pool cue off the first victim and hit him with it four times across the head and body.
Bar staff intervened, separated the pair, and then issued Johansen with a trespass notice, before escorting him from the bar.
About 30 minutes later, both victims left the bar with their friends.
Johansen was waiting outside in his car. He got out and shook hands with the second victim and then punched him in the left eye.
The pair then wrestled each other before the victim broke free and walked away, but Johansen followed him and punched him again, knocking him to the ground.
As the victim lay there Johansen stomped on him.
At the time, he declined to say much to the police but had since expressed accountability for what he did, Judge Barkle said.
He had also completed a stopping violence course.
Judge Barkle noted matters around Johansen’s personal and domestic circumstances, including his use of alcohol and drugs, but also that he was now succeeding in running his own carpentry business.
“What I hope is that this will not be repeated in terms of you appearing again in court. You have a lot going for you and you know better,” Judge Barkle said.
Johansen was sentenced to six months of community detention with a 9pm-to-5am curfew, plus nine months’ supervision, and was ordered to pay $500 emotional harm reparation to the victims.
He was also ordered to attend alcohol and drug counselling.
Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.
There have been two serious assaults at bars and at a petrol station.