Man who attacked ex-partner's lover loses appeal

A man jailed for two years and four months for an attack on his former partner's new lover has lost his appeal against conviction.

Stephen Brent Tozer, a 50-year-old businessman from Rakaia, asked the Court of Appeal this week to change his sentence to home detention.

But, in a reserved decision released today, the appeal judges said the gravity of the offending militated against home detention.

Tozer pleaded guilty in Christchurch District Court in December last year to kidnapping and injuring with intent.

Tozer tracked down his ex-partner and her 28-year-old farm labourer lover to a secluded cottage in Windwhistle in central Canterbury where they had gone for a weekend break.

He kicked down the cottage door and beat the new boyfriend repeatedly on the head with a bat.

As the woman fled to a nearby property to raise the alarm, Tozer forced the victim to accompany him in a car saying he would be shot by hired hitmen if he failed to comply.

Tozer was arrested a short time later after a police chase.

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".

- NZPA