Tourist injured in Nelson beachside campground attack by naked man Ricky James Mullen

Ricky Mullen was now at a stage in his life when he functioned better inside prison than outside. He was sentenced in the Nelson District Court today to another term in prison. Photo / Tracy Neal

A tourist trying to have “a nice holiday in Nelson” was pulled off her bike, kicked and beaten by a naked man running through a campground.

The impact split her helmet and left her with lingering anxieties from the trauma of what started as a nice summer day by the beach.

The aggressor was Ricky James Mullen, a man described as having a nihilistic outlook, and now so used to prison, he functioned better inside it than out.

Today, he appeared via audio-visual link in Nelson District Court where he was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment for his naked rampage through the city’s Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park on February 1 this year.

Judge Tony Zohrab described the attack on the tourist as she was cycling through the campground as an “unprovoked, ferocious and indiscriminate” attack. It was lucky the woman was wearing a helmet which took the brunt of the blows.

Mullen previously appeared in court soon after the violence at the campground and was remanded in custody for a mental health assessment.

But name suppression lapsed for the 41-year-old in August when he admitted threatening to kill, assault with intent to injure, injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, resisting and assaulting police, wilful damage, and intentional damage.

The Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park and Motel in Nelson, where Ricky Mullen went on a rampage, and attacked a tourist. Photo / Tracy Neal

At sentencing, his lawyer Michael Vesty said Mullen would continue to be a public risk if he did not get the assistance he needed to address behaviours driven by emotional dysregulation and other factors that led to him sabotaging his own progress.

“He is someone more comfortable in prison compared with many,” Vesty said.

The police summary of facts said that just after 11am on February 1 Mullen was at his partner’s cabin at the holiday park.

He became angry and started yelling and screaming, took all his clothes off and then walked to his car parked outside the cabin.

He placed the car in “drive” and accelerated forward, driving into the cabin and destroying the front wall.

Judge Zohrab said it was fortunate no one was in the cabin or near it, as they could have easily been killed.

After driving into the cabin, Mullen got out of the car and continued to yell and scream.

When he noticed a woman looking at him he held his fists above his head and yelled at her, “I’m going to kill you”.

A man who drove up to help was then punched in the face five to 10 times by Mullen, who yelled “f**k the police” and then followed the victim on foot as he tried to get away in his car.

“This was someone who arrived to see if anyone needed help,” Judge Zohrab said.

At the same time, the tourist on her bike was grabbed by Mullen who pulled her to the ground and kicked her in the head as she lay tangled in her bicycle.

Police said the victim curled herself into a foetal position to try to protect herself as Mullen “stomped on her head” twice more.

She was left with a deep cut to her right ear plus wounds to both arms.

The man who had been punched in the face witnessed the cyclist attack and drove his car towards Mullen, trying to distract him.

Mullen jumped on the vehicle’s bonnet and smashed its windscreen with his knee.

Police arrived and as Mullen was being arrested and handcuffed he punched the arresting constable in the face.

As he was placed in the police van Mullen kicked out and tried to escape.

Judge Zohrab noted the campground had supported the cyclist and offered to help her re-book parts of her holiday which was delayed due to her injuries.

He said it had also been traumatic for the man who tried to help, watching Mullen “unleash” on the tourist.

Judge Zohrab said misuse of alcohol, cannabis and stimulants had impaired Mullen’s decision-making, and he was “impulsively violent” when under the influence of alcohol.

He also had difficulty reflecting on his behaviour and empathising with others, which made compliance difficult.

Childhood trauma had led to him suffering anxiety, paranoia and depression.

Judge Zohrab encouraged him to take up the good programmes on offer that could make a real difference in his life.

Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.