Dunedin District Court
THE defendant had a history of drunkenness and disorderly behaviour. At the Hotel South Otago one afternoon in December, Stephen John Hurring (65), of Balclutha, was intoxicated and would not be told what to do, Judge Phillips said sentencing him in the Dunedin District Court this week.
Hurring had been convicted of assaulting the onduty manager with a weapon (a bar stool), and assaulting the man and threatening to kill him, at Balclutha on December 16.
Represented by counsel Adriana Pinnock, Hurring had accepted a sentencing indication and pleaded guilty.
He was sentenced to six months’ jail for assault with a weapon, four months for assault and three months for threatening to kill — all terms concurrent.
Reviewing the facts, the judge said Hurring entered the Hotel South Otago about 3.10pm and was told by the victim he would not be served.
Hurring began an aggressive verbal tirade directed at the victim. It included swearing and personal insults.
Hurring picked up a bar stool, causing the victim to believe he was going to hit him with it.
Told to leave, Hurring refused and continued to abuse the victim.
He then went into the staff side of the bar.
The victim tried to stop him. Hurring grabbed him by one arm and tried, five or six times, to kick him.
The kicks did not connect. Hurring grabbed the victim’s left hand and bit him on the forearm.
The victim pushed him away. Hurring responded by moving towards him and trying to punch him in the head.
The victim evaded the punch. Highly agitated and aggressive, Hurring went back to the customer side of the bar and threatened the victim ‘‘if I could get over this bar I would get you’’, followed by a comment about having arrows ‘‘and one is for you’’.
Hurring then left.
The victim received a scratch to his forearm and was shaking. And, knowing Hurring was the owner of a crossbow, he felt unsafe and concerned.
Under release conditions for six months from the sentence end, Hurring is not to possess or consume alcohol or nonprescribed drugs.