Man admits two assaults
A Nelson man who killed seagulls with an air rifle and attacked council enforcement officers has admitted a number of charges.
Jarrod Leonard Huggins, 27, appeared in the Nelson District Court yesterday and pleaded guilty to charges of possessing a knife, possessing a pipe for methamphetamine, careless use of a motor vehicle, cruelty or ill treatment of animals, two charges of intentional damage and two charges of assault with intent to injure.
He was was arrested in January after he attacked a freedom camping enforcement officer and a parking officer while they were at work.
Judge Tony Zohrab said Huggins had seriously assaulted two people on an unprovoked basis and it was unclear what had driven that behaviour.
‘‘There are a number of matters in your behaviour leading up to the offending and there are bizarre and serious aspects to the offending which are a great cause for concern.’’
Huggins assaulted the two council staff in separate incidents on January 18. He approached the freedom camping enforcement officer about 7.30am in Montgomery Square and hit him twice in the head, which caused him to fall to the ground.
Huggins then got into a vehicle and allegedly accelerated towards a witness, who thought she was going to be run over so she ran towards an alleyway.
An hour later, he approached a parking officer in Buxton Square and kicked him in the face, knocking his body camera off him and caused him to stumble backwards.
Defence lawyer Tim Spear said the incident was an ‘‘unusual event’’ in Huggins’ life.
In December, Huggins was arrested after he was seen shooting seagulls with an air rifle in Atawhai.
An eyewitness said he saw about four dead gulls lying about 10 to 20 metres away from a vehicle.
A report found there were no issues with insanity or fitness to stand trial.
Judge Zohrab ordered a probation report, asked for an updated victim impact statement and referred the matter to Restorative Justice.
Huggins was bailed to live at a Christchurch address and will reappear for sentencing on April 9.