KEY POINTS:
Two men who viciously beat a couple of neighbours trying to protect their property in Eltham last November were jailed today - one for 12 years.
In the High Court in New Plymouth Jesse Christian Dolman, 21, was given the lengthy term after being convicted in August of two charges of causing grievous bodily harm.
Cheyne Reihana Turahui, 16, was sent down for seven years and eight months on charges of causing grievous bodily harm, burglary, intentional damage and possessing an offensive weapon.
Sentencing of a third offender Lex Curtis Willemsen, 18, for causing grievous bodily harm, was delayed until next month.
Justice Mark Cooper said he wanted a report to consider home detention.
A fourth man, Victor Lawrence Tai, 20, admitted an amended charge of common assault in July and was jailed for three months.
The drunken youths bashed Duncan Transom and Brendan Hareb when the two neighbours confronted the accused whom they found swearing, shouting and smashing letterboxes late at night after a long drinking session.
Rachel Morehu testified at the trial that she heard drunks yelling outside her property late at night.
Mr Transom and Mr Hareb, who went to investigate the commotion, were abused, threatened and then attacked.
Ms Morehu saw Mr Hareb bashed to the ground.
"He was knocked out straight away; he never got a hit in," she said. "The whole lot of them were punching, stomping and kicking him."
She said the victim was unconscious and covered in blood - "I thought he was dead".
Mr Hareb lost an eye in the attack, had his jaw fractured and suffered brain damage.
Mr Transom had his jaw smashed.
The two men were so badly beaten neither could remember what happened and neither was able to give evidence at the trial.
- NZPA
