Assault was ‘eyeopener’, security officer tells judge

QUEENSTOWN

MORE than 20ha of land that was once part of Bendigo Station in Tarras is on the market. A QUEENSTOWN security officer says

New Zealand cherry comseeing footage of a fight he was involved in pany Cherri Global has was an ‘‘eyeopener’’, and the strict bail released the prime production conditions he has been on for nine months land. have changed his life, for the better.

Managing director Phil Ryan James Fattorini (30) was yesterday Alison said his company had fined $1500 and sentenced to nine months’ already planted 60ha in chersupervision, with special conditions, by ries, but the remaining 24ha Judge Russell Walker in the Queenstown were more suited to producing District Court after admitting assaulting wine such as pinot noir. Renae Hapeta using a bottle as a weapon,

The land is on the market as and disorderly behaviour likely to cause parcels of 19.11ha and 5.26ha violence, on January 20 in Queenstown. or a combined 24.37ha by tenJudge Walker said Fattorini was moderder. ately intoxicated in a bar in Cow Lane at

The company was expecting 1am when he observed security staff there strong interest from wine struggling with a group of people as they growers across the country. were trying to remove them.

Mr Alison said a significant His lawyer, Bryony Shackell, said Fatattraction for interested partorini was in the ‘‘wrong place at the ties was access to water wrong time’’ and intervened in a misthrough Cherri Global and guided attempt to ‘‘protect colleagues who Bendigo Station’s irrigation were outnumbered . . . in an unprovoked infrastructure, which included attack by a drunken violent mob’’. a large dam, pumps, pipes and However, Judge Walker said CCTV necessary easements. footage from Cow Lane showed Fattorini

to be the ‘‘predominant aggressor’’.

The defendant stepped up to a male, ‘‘as if in a cage fight’’, and began throwing multiple punches and trying to kick the other man.

The fight continued until police arrived, at which point Fattorini began to walk, and then ran, away.

‘‘You had countless opportunities to do exactly that before police arrived, but you did not take them.

‘‘In my view you were the predominant aggressor in what was a . . . disgraceful incident.’’

Fattorini told Judge Walker he did not want to be seen as someone like that ‘‘or be like that ever again in my life’’.

‘‘Seeing myself in that CCTV footage, it was something that was definitely an eyeopener for me.’’

He had been on strict bail for the past nine months and subsequently had not consumed alcohol.

‘‘I feel healthier, fitter, I don’t crave alcohol — I don’t even feel like drinking alcohol anymore.

‘‘It’s enabled me to start a business during the pandemic.

‘‘It’s turned my life around for better.’’

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