Pepper spray needed to subdue man, court told

It took three policemen, pepper spray and batons before Edward Desmond Waihape was subdued enough to be taken to a police station, Hastings District Court was told.

The Napier man, 44, was found guilty on three charges of aggravated assault on police, two charges of threatening to cause grievous bodily harm, one charge of assault on a female, one charge of failing to answer police bail and one charge of resisting police.

Judge Margaret Lee said an extremely drunk Waihape had approached a policeman at a checkpoint and told him he was going to "beat him up and kill him".

He had gone on to punch a second policeman in the groin and kicked and punched a third officer.

"You were subdued only after they used their batons on you," she said.

Defence counsel Brian Webby said his client had not deliberately resisted police and had come off second best when he had.

Judge Lee said Waihape's record of offending dated back to the 1970s and was almost non-stop.

Waihape was sentenced to two years and four months in prison on the eight charges.

- HAWKE'S BAY TODAY