Teen’s brick attack cost victim his eye
Mayla Noble’s reckless decision to hurl a brick into a group of people had disastrous consequences for one man who was struck in the face and lost his left eye.
Judge Garry Barkle described what Noble did as a ‘‘ridiculously stupid act’’.
Noble previously pleaded guilty to recklessly wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, a crime he committed as a 17-yearold. Now 18, he appeared in the Hawera District Court on Thursday for sentencing.
Barkle said the victim had yet to come to terms with what happened and the impact losing his left field of vision would have on the rest of his life. The judge said the victim had been able to return to work for a few hours each week and was still waiting to get a prosthetic eye fitted.
The judge said the victim ‘‘broke down’’ when he heard he had lost his eye and also struggled to cope with telling his children about what happened.
‘‘The harm caused is significant, ongoing and irreparable,’’ the judge told Noble.
Barkle said about 1.30am on December 4 last year, Noble, along with members of his family, got into an argument with the victim and his family outside a house on Argyle St in Hawera.
The argument continued for 15 minutes as the two groups walked north, before the victim and his family entered an address.
A war of words continued and Noble then felt a stick strike his shoulder.
Barkle said the teen then picked up a brick and hurled it. ‘‘The brick struck the victim in the face. He fell to the ground. You left the scene,’’ Barkle said.
The blow cut the victim’s left eye and he underwent surgery later that day.
However, Barkle said the damage could not be repaired. The victim also suffered other facial injuries which required stitches.
Defence lawyer Neal Harding said the teen was sorry but had yet to apologise to the victim. ‘‘He honestly doesn’t think there is any likelihood of the apology being accepted,’’ Harding said. Alcohol had been a factor, he added, and although Noble was only young, the serious repercussions were not lost on him.
Barkle said the seriousness of the injury, the use of a weapon and the attack to the head were aggravating factors.
Noble was given credit for his lack of previous convictions and his early guilty plea. Barkle also took into account his youth.
After calculating an end sentence of 21 months’ jail, Barkle transferred this to a home detention term of ten-and-a-half months. Noble will also have to complete 175 hours of community work.