Ref assaulter back in court
A man who knocked out a rugby referee after his team lost a club rugby match is back in court for failing to complete his sentence.
Pama Paisami, 28, was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court in September to three months’ community detention and 100 hours’ community work for assaulting Paul Van Deventer.
But Paisami was back in the same court on Friday for failing to complete his community work.
Paisami was given the punishment after punching Van Deventer once in the face at the end of a rugby game.
The assault happened after a match between Feryberg Bs and Linton Army Bs at Linton Military Camp on July 9.
Paisami’s Freyberg team lost the game 28-23, and Van Deventer went to shake hands with each player afterwards.
Instead of shaking Van Deventer’s hand, Paisami delivered a single punch, knocking him out and breaking his nose.
Paisami was initially banned from Freyberg, and later banned from playing rugby in New Zealand for life.
Van Deventer returned refereeing rugby.
In court on Friday, Judge Stephanie Edwards said Paisami failed to report when required 15 times, and still had 23-anda-quarter hours of community work left to complete. to
Duty lawyer Mark Alderdice said Paisami had been working in Tauranga for the past month on a contract, but had recently moved back to Palmerston North.
The focus should be on getting Paisami, who had no other convictions, out of the criminal justice system, Alderdice said.
The judge remanded Paisami, who pleaded guilty to the charge, until May.
She said he would be convicted and discharged if he completed the community work hours by then.
‘‘If not, there will be more community work hours.
‘‘I understand you had employment, but you can’t prioritise that over completing the sentence of community work.’’