KEY POINTS:
A man fired an air pistol at a nine-year-old boy who was taking mandarins from his tree, hitting him in the foot, Hastings District Court was told.
The victim needed surgery to have the pellet removed and yesterday Nikora Tuakara Sullivan, 21, a tractor driver, admitted carelessly using the gun.
A police summary said Sullivan became angry with the boy and his friends taking mandarins from his property and throwing them at each other.
He told the boys: "I'll shoot you with the paintball gun if you don't go home."
The group returned and an angry Sullivan picked up his air pistol, aimed it towards the boy and pulled the trigger.
The pellet ricocheted off the ground hitting the boy in the right heel.
He screamed in pain and ran next door to his home.
He was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital, where the pellet was surgically removed.
Sullivan told police he only wanted to scare the boy.
Judge Ian Thomas remanded Sullivan on bail for sentencing on August 6.
- NZPA
