Punch delivered after a few joints blamed for kaumatua's death

A man has admitted drinking alcohol and using cannabis on the night he punched kaumatua Charlie Vercoe, who later died.

Akima Terry Tarei, 35, of Te Teko in the Bay of Plenty, appeared for a deposition hearing in Whakatane District Court on Monday on one charge of causing death by the unlawful act of assault sometime between August 29 and September 6.

Defence counsel Tony Balme entered a plea of not guilty to the manslaughter charge on behalf of Tarei.

Deposition evidence was in written form and handed up to community magistrates Kevin Hurley and Maraea Johns.

Tarei told police that on Sunday, August 29, he had gone to Mr Vercoe's daughter's house and had got into "a bit of an argument".

The daughter had a protection order against Tarei which he breached by visiting her.

Tarei said she had left the house and so he had picked up his grandchild (his stepdaughter's child and Mr Vercoe's great grand-child) and attempted to leave the house as well.

"I got to the back door. I was just gonna walk out the door and that's when Charlie came from behind.

"He grabbed me from behind and spun me around. I'm not too sure if he hit me.

"That's when I hit him ... I was just protecting the baby."

Tarei said Mr Vercoe had fallen against the wall but had not dropped to the ground until Tarei grabbed the baby that Mr Vercoe was by then holding.

Tarei told police he had hit Mr Vercoe under his left eye. Asked if he had been drinking or on drugs, he said he was drunk at the time and had smoked a few joints.

He told police that he had gone to apologise the next day.

- NZPA

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