Cultural report on violent drink driver details upbringing that ‘should be a matter of national shame’

After crashing a car on Dunedin's Southern Motorway, Tony Papuni tried to avoid police by climbing a tree. Photo / File

A drink-driver who tried to evade police by hiding in a tree had an upbringing that “should be a matter of national shame”, a court has heard.

Tony Robert Papuni, 38, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week after racking up nine charges in less than a month.

Counsel Anne Stevens KC said a cultural report revealed her client’s background had been “tragedy after tragedy that should be a matter of national shame”.

Suffering through systemic deprivation and being a victim of family violence from a young age had caused the man to have a “revolving-door relationship with the court”, Judge David Robinson said.

“It is unsurprising you have ended up in this situation.”

On July 11 last year, Papuni threw a belt at his partner after waking up in a rage, causing the woman to flee her home.

Less than a week later, the pair were drinking at an associate’s address in Mosgiel.

The victim sat next to a man, which enraged the defendant.

Papuni lunged at her, grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head forcefully.

In an attempt to protect the victim, the associate intervened and a physical fight broke out.

A large window was broken before the defendant grabbed the woman’s car keys, wallet, cigarettes and phone, and fled in her vehicle.

A short time later he lost control of the car, crashing into concrete barriers on the Southern Motorway.

Papuni ran away and climbed a tree in an attempt to hide from police.

He admitted to consuming a large amount of alcohol and methamphetamine. A breath-alcohol test revealed a level of 728mcg.

The man was convicted of five driving charges, theft, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and two charges of assault in a family relationship.

“The drink-driving, the violence ... it’s a repeating problem,” Stevens said.

While in custody awaiting sentencing, Papuni reportedly committed himself to rehabilitative programmes.

“He has done his best in prison to stop this.”

Judge Robinson said the appropriate sentence would be one that allowed Papuni access to wraparound support services and judicial oversight.

Papuni was sentenced to two years of intensive supervision and ordered to pay the victim $650.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.