Man jailed for attack on ex-partner's new lover

A man was jailed for two years and four months at Christchurch District Court today for a "ferocious" attack on his former partner's new lover.

Stephen Brent Tozer, a 50-year-old businessman from Rakaia, earlier pleaded guilty to charges of kidnap and injuring with intent to injure.

Sentencing Tozer, Judge Michael Crosbie described the attack as "ferocious" and "an extremely violent, drawn out act".

The charges related to an incident at Windwhistle, central Canterbury on July 2007.

A week earlier, Tozer's partner had told him their relationship was over and moved out of their shared accomodation.

She had begun a new relationship with the victim, a 28-year-old farm labourer.

On the day the offence took place, they had travelled to a secluded cottage for a weekend break.

Tozer spent the day tracking them down before kicking down the door of the property and beating the victim repeatedly on the head with a bat.

His partner escaped to a nearby property, where she telephoned the police.

At the end of the attack Tozer told the victim hired hitmen had surrounded the building and if he did not comply he would be shot.

Tozer was arrested after a police chase, while driving the victim's car.

On his arrest, Tozer ordered his victim out of the car, shook his hand and proclaimed to officers, "no problems, it's all been sorted".

Defence counsel Simon Shamy said Tozer had spent much of the two years previous to sentencing on bail, including six months on a 24-hour curfew.

He had made an offer to pay reparation of $5000 to the victim for the emotional harm he had caused.

But Judge Crosbie told Tozer: "I find it difficult to accept you have any remorse. There were a myriad of ways you could have dealt with the issues you had.

"The victim impact report tells me that during the two years since the attack he has suffered from depression and alcoholism. This was an event that had a profound affect on him."

He ordered Tozer be given a three-and-a-half-year sentence with a six-month deduction for his guilty plea, five months deducted for his offer of reparation, to be paid within 28 days, and three months for time spent on 24-hour curfew.

- NZPA