Dylan Lee Owens appeared in the Dunedin District Court on Wednesday. Photo / NZH
Dylan Lee Owens must really treasure his blue hat.
When questioned by police after a bizarre, violent and calamitous incident on February 14, the 22-year-old joiner said it all started because someone had stolen his prized headwear.
Police were patrolling George St in the early hours, the Dunedin District heard yesterday, when they saw the defendant aggressively approach a group of people.
Officers saw Owens punch one of the men, so they intervened.
But their presence did little to calm the enraged defendant, who continued to lash out at the group as well as yell abuse at police.
Despite Owens' resistance, they put him in the back of a car for a short trip to the central police station.
However, they stopped as the man lashed out "in a stomping motion", kicking a rear window then hitting a constable in the shoulder twice.
They called for assistance, but Owens was not in a patient mood.
Despite being handcuffed, he managed to open the window and reach the outside door handle.
His bid for freedom, though, was spectacularly unsuccessful.
After 50m running north in George St he tripped and fell.
The trip allowed officers to catch him but still Owens resisted.
Court documents described how he struggled, "thrusting his body backwards, attempting to hit the victim in the face with the back of his head".
Finally detained at the station, the defendant gave a frank explanation for the fireworks.
Owens said he kicked the officer because he "deserved a good beating" and that he fled the scene because police did not care about him.
Defence counsel Liam Collins said his client was initially relieved when police showed up because he expected them to assist in the return of the blue hat.
When that was not the case, he became "out of control".
"Time and time again we see police effectively being used as punching bags," Judge David Robinson said.
He was impressed, however, that Owens had self-referred to Stopping Violence and that he was well regarded by his employer.
Being a judge for the last couple of months had revealed much about crime.
"Alcohol and drugs seem to be pretty much the root cause of everything that happens," Judge Robinson said.
Had he the power to take them out of circulation, he reckoned he could cut the crime rate by "about 75 per cent".
Owens was fined $500 and ordered to pay court costs of $130.
OPINION: Labour also needs a cup of tea and lie down to calm their nerves.