Hammer man's remorse a cop-out, says victim

Barry Fletcher is still recovering from the attack. Picture / Greg Bowker

The truck driver beaten unconscious in a brutal case of road rage says his attacker's remorse means nothing to him.

Toma Lauaki, 35, yesterday admitted the claw hammer attack on driver Barry Fletcher at Mangere last Tuesday. He has been remanded in custody for sentencing next month.

Lauaki handed himself in to police after security camera footage of the attack was made public.

Lawyer Frank Hogan said Lauaki wanted to express his "extreme sorrow and remorse" to the victim, the victim's family, his own family and the community.

Mr Fletcher was cynical about the apology and said Lauaki had no option but to admit intent to cause grievous bodily harm because of the graphic evidence.

"In that position you will take whatever avenue necessary to ensure that what's coming your way is lessened," he said of the apology.

"I find remorse one of those weak things. He shouldn't have hit me with the hammer in the first place. You just cannot go around doing that kind of thing to people. Remorse to me is just a cop-out, it's meaningless."

Mr Fletcher was attacked after pulling into a client's driveway on Savill Drive.

Footage showed Lauaki climbing into the truck cab, where he rained blows with the hammer, and then dragged Mr Fletcher from the cab.

Mr Fletcher suffered multiple fractures to his right ankle and left wrist, and gashes to the bone on his lower right leg.

Mr Hogan told the Manukau District Court there was more to the story than the "traffic incident" described by police in a summary of facts.

He said more details about what really happened would emerge during sentencing.

Last week, after Lauaki's first appearance, his wife Valeti Lauaki told the Herald her husband confronted Mr Fletcher after he had cut off their family van and forced the van to mount the kerb.

"It was very scary. It all happened in a second and we all thought we were going to flip over," she said.

"He [Lauaki] was only angry because he knew [the truck driver] could have hurt me and the children."

Before pleading guilty yesterday, Lauaki told the Herald he was sorry for what he did but added: "I have just one comment - I'm just a victim to loving my kids."

Mr Fletcher dismissed the Lauakis' version of events in the lead-up to the attack and said their credibility had been damaged.

"I'm not the one who stood in front of a judge and said I'm related to an up-and-coming All Black and then expect people to put some weight behind what I have to say."

Lauaki last week sought name suppression based on claims his father was sick and his close relative Sione Lauaki was playing against the Springboks.

However, the loose forward distanced himself from the case and said the accused was not related to his family.

Mr Fletcher said Lauaki's van was at a stop sign but pulled out in front of his truck and continued driving in front of him for a kilometre before suddenly stopping in the middle of the road.

He said the van's occupants appeared to be having a "domestic" as he pulled to the right to pass them.

Police have said that regardless of who was to blame, there was no excuse for the level of violence used against Mr Fletcher.

Mr Hogan yesterday told the court he was acting on another lawyer's instructions when he gave reasons for seeking name suppression.

That other lawyer is no longer representing Lauaki.

Judge Anna Johns accepted Mr Hogan's comments.

A teary-eyed Mrs Lauaki, accompanied by her four children and relatives, had no comment after the court appearance.