Restaurant boss jailed for attacking ex-workers

John Haigh, QC, says his client's current employees' jobs would be threatened if he went to prison. Photo / Glenn Jeffrey

A restaurant boss who ordered staff to beat two workers who quit over poor pay and conditions has been jailed for two years.

Rupinder Singh Chahil, 37, was found guilty in June of two counts of kidnapping and one of injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Bashan and Akbar Singh quit because they were unhappy with their pay. Chahil had their passports and refused to return them when the pair resigned.

He and several others went to their home on June 10, 2007, screaming and swearing at them, telling them they were lucky to receive their wages because it was double what they could earn back home in India.

Akbar tried to escape but was caught. Bashan ran to a balcony to get help. He slipped and fell to the ground, breaking both legs and the men then set on him, punching, kicking and stomping on his torso.

Prosecutor Ross Burns told the Auckland District Court yesterday that Chahil was the one who was responsible and organised what happened.

The "gratuitous violence" that occurred needed to be denounced because it was unacceptable in this country, Mr Burns said.

The Crown sought a jail term but Chahil's lawyer, John Haigh, QC, argued the restaurant boss had employees whose jobs would be threatened if he went to prison.

Mr Haigh said Chahil regretted what happened, was remorseful and offered reparation and argued for a sentence of home detention.

But Judge Emma Aitken didn't agree and sentenced him to two years' jail for his role in the attack. Another man who worked for Chahil, Parvinder Singh, was sentenced to one year in jail.

Both men immediately lodged appeals against their convictions and sentence and have been granted bail until the appeals are heard.

Two others, Charanjit Singh, 39, and Gupreet Singh, 31, were sentenced to four months' home detention.