Machete attack: Bay of Plenty man’s hand severed in brawl over chainsaw dispute

Tauranga District Court. Photo / NZME

A Bay of Plenty man who used a machete to hack off the hand of another man over a dispute about a chainsaw has been jailed for eight years.

Taneatua man Richard Hohua, 33, was sentenced in the Tauranga District Court yesterday, after earlier being found guilty of a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at a jury trial.

Hohua attacked a 27-year-old on June 21, 2020, on the forecourt of a Gull fuel station on McKenzie St, Tāneatua.

The court heard that as the victim put his hand up to try to defend himself during a confrontation with Hohua, his skull was fractured in two places and his left hand severed.

And it was all over a chainsaw.

A Crown summary of facts stated Hohua believed the man had stolen his chainsaw and he sent him a message to return it or suffer serious consequences.

Hohua and two associates then arrived in a vehicle at the petrol station, where the victim was filling up a gas container, and tried to prevent him from leaving.

Armed with a large machete, Hohua confronted the victim about the alleged theft, then struck his head with the weapon.

When the victim again tried to flee, Hohua chased and slashed the victim once more in the head, and continued striking out at the victim with the machete hitting his left wrist. The force of the attack severed his left hand.

A member of the public later discovered the hand and took it to Whakatāne Hospital, where the man was taken to before being treated in Waikato Hospital for extensive reattachment surgery.

Crown prosecutor Richard Jenson suggested the judge consider a starting sentence point of 12 to 14 years in prison for Hohua, which he said was appropriate. There were several aggravating features to this offending, including multiple attackers, several attacks to the head, the vigilante nature of this attack, and a vulnerable victim left with horrific injuries, he said.

Despite overwhelming evidence of his guilt, Hohua gave false evidence at this trial, he said.

But Hohua’s lawyer Fraser Wood said this starting point was “excessive” and this was “not the worse case” of violence. He suggested a 10-year prison starting point instead.

Despite the severe consequences of the assault, Hohua had not intended what happened, although he intended to exercise his authority and control, he said.

“Mr Hohua was as surprised as anybody about the victim’s horrific injuries.”

Wood said Hohua genuinely had “a change of heart” and his expressions of remorse were not to try and get a lesser sentence.

Despite Hohua’s approach at his trial, Judge Thomas Ingram said he accepted he was genuinely remorseful and had experienced “significant life-changing revelations” about his offending, and “importantly” his prospects of rehabilitation were much improved.

The judge said he agreed with Wood that a minimum non-parole period was not necessary in this case and sentenced Hohua to eight years’ prison.

Judge Ingram took into account that despite Hohua being the eldest son of a Mongrel Mob member, he had not joined the gang and also helped steer his brothers away from the lifestyle.

Co-offenders Hami Timoti, 29, and Taurewa Tauranga, 28, both earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of injuring with intent to injure at their trial.

Tauranga, who also appeared in court, was sentenced to six months community detention as he was not directly involved in the machete attack but was at the scene.

The court heard Timoti, who was not present in court, acted as the driver in the attack and drove at the victim in an attempt to trip him. He was carrying a claw hammer. He is due to be sentenced on February 16.