Dunedin District Court

THE victims were in court in support of the defendant, Judge Michael Crosbie noted at the sentencing of a 65yearold Dunedin man.

‘‘They want you home. They miss you,’’ the judge told William Frank Stephenson in the Dunedin District Court yesterday.

Stephenson would be in an alcoholfree home and had voluntarily gone to the Community Drug and Alcohol Service, the judge said.

‘‘Everyone seems to think that without alcohol there will be no further incidents.’’

Stephenson had been convicted of threatening grievous bodily harm, and intentionally damaging a television, on September 24; and trespassing on an Eskvale St address, on October 24.

The police summary said Stephenson and the victims (his wife and his daughter) were at home, about 7pm on September 24.

Stephenson was heavily intoxicated and became angry at his wife.

He went into the kitchen and held a knife to his throat.

His daughter said she was going to call police.

While holding the knife, Stephenson yelled at her ‘‘if you call police, I will stab you’’.

He walked into the lounge and pushed the television off a stand, causing it to break.

The October offence, about 2pm, arose from his presence in the car park area of an address from which he had been trespassed. He was verbally aggressive before leaving on foot.

Counsel Cate Andersen said Stephenson was now quite a different man. He had been through detoxification and was enjoying sobriety.

Stephenson was sentenced to three months’ community detention (curfewed 8pm7am daily), and 12 months’ supervision. A condition of his sentence is not to consume alcohol.

Other convictions

Margaret Cheynne Hessell (17), of Dunedin, shoplifting (went into Octagon Night’N Day store, hid items from fridge, walked out without paying), May 14; burglary (while in Oranga Tamariki custody, Hessell absconded from home, later returned when home locked, forced entry by breaking window, stole a key, three large knives, an electronic tablet and $70 cash), June 2425; dishonestly took vehicle (took car keys from bedroom of home she was staying, drove off in the victim’s Honda), July 10; theft (filled up the stolen vehicle with fuel at Z Energy Hornby, left petrol station without paying; defence counsel Sophia Thorburn said her client was a product of childhood neglect and had a mild intellectual disability, Judge Kevin Phillips said it was alarming she had been in custody for four months before sentencing), July 11; 12 months’ intensive supervision (in Christchurch), $169 reparation.

Utukalongalu Penisimani Tapueluelu (24), student, of Dunedin, drinkdriving (stopped at checkpoint, admitted drinking, said he was travelling to visit a friend, no previous convictions), 600mcg, 11.55pm, October 27, Gowland St, fined $550, court costs $130, six months’ disqualification.

Kaili Tawhara Rule (38), of Karitane, breaching protection order (behaviour amounting to psychological abuse of protected person), October 4, six months’ supervision. Public defender Ms Thorburn said Rule not previously convicted of breaching protection order; Judge Crosbie noted offence ‘‘lower end of scale’’.

Cooper DrewPercey Taylor (22), of Dunedin, breach of intensive supervision (sentenced for two charges of threatening to kill, received four months community detention and 12 months’ intensive supervision, failed to report to Probation officer, went to Christchurch but recently reengaged), October 29, ninemonth deferred sentence.

Jeremy Antony Troy Lee (37), driver, of Mosgiel, intentional damage (Lee and his partner went for a weekend trip to Oamaru, defendant became annoyed with victim, deflated her right rear tyre, used a metal rod to make three holes in radiator, scratched rear left door), April 15; assault (Lee went to partner’s house, got in while she was asleep, tried to discuss matters of fidelity with victim, demanded she wake up to talk to him, when she refused Lee grabbed her by the ankles to drag her off bed, after again being told to leave, defendant puffed his chest out and pushed into her), June 27, 80 hours’ community work, $1675 reparation, protection order granted.

Geyer David Bailey (22), of Dunedin, intentional damage (victim woman with whom Bailey had been in relationship; Bailey front seat passenger in vehicle travelling in Cumberland St; victim and associate in vehicle in adjacent lane; at red light Hanover St intersection, Bailey got out of his vehicle, opened passenger door of victim’s vehicle, began to abuse her and other person in her car, kicked rear passenger door, victim and associate had not known Bailey was beside them; at red light Stuart St intersection, Bailey again got out of his vehicle, verbally abused victim, opened passenger door, punched rear passenger’s door as victim drove away; in explanation said didn’t want to be walked all over again after being cheated on before), about 1pm, November 8, six months’ supervision, reparation $792.92.

Samuel Bennett Cathro (29), digger operator, of Dunedin, intentional damage (4.30pm, went to the victims’ Mornington home, knocked on the front door and spoke to expartner, she asked him to leave multiple times but he refused, Cathro yelled at victim, grabbed a rock and raised over his head, threw it through driver’s side window of car, continued yelling at victim; ‘‘you lost your rag totally,’’ Judge Phillips said), February 24, sixmonth deferred sentence, court costs $130, reparation $280.