KEY POINTS:
A man whose thumb was severed in a machete attack, stared down at the man accused of cutting it off as he relived his story today.
William Kohunui was giving evidence at a depositions hearing in Gisborne District Court for four men said to be involved in the attack in a Gisborne street last year.
Cohen Rawiri Irwin, 23, later admitted possessing an offensive weapon -- the machete, wounding Mr Kohunui with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and wounding.
Three co-accused Joshua Anaru Stafford, 19, Vernon Percy Mei Waihape, 18, and Rongomai Timothy Taiapa, 20, denied the wounding charges and were committed for trial.
As Mr Kohunui approached the witness stand to give evidence, his arm bandaged and in a sling, he held his gaze on Irwin, then detailed what happened on the afternoon of November 19 last year.
He said he was out walking with his former partner and three children when Stafford approached and began abusing his elder son for wearing a red jacket.
"At that time I just said to my boy 'never mind this f--king bullshit, just keep on walking'..."
Stafford then threw a bottle, hitting his son.
A passing truck containing Waihape, Taiapa and Irwin was hailed down by Stafford.
The three men got out each brandishing a weapon -- Waihape a hammer, Taiapa a crowbar, and Irwin the machete.
Mr Kohunui described how he was hit with the crowbar shortly before his thumb was severed by the machete.
He motioned how Irwin came at him with the machete by raising his arms up and behind his head, bringing them down in front of him in a forward motion.
"When I saw him all I saw was the machete he was holding...I just backed off and backed up and the thumb came off."
A visibly-disturbed Mr Kohunui stared down Irwin for some time after he said this, causing defence counsel to request he stop.
"What I don't understand is that we were outnumbered -- why did they not just use their fists, why did they need to use weapons?" Mr Kohunui told the court.
"They did it in front of two young kids, which is pretty ratshit."
The court was told that Mr Kohunui has had his thumb re-attached and was receiving a sickness benefit.
Taiapa, Waihape and Stafford were committed for trial in the High Court in Gisborne on May 20 and Irwin was remanded for sentencing on the same day.
- NZPA
