Home brew made farmer a violent man

A Taranaki farmer has promised to keep off the ‘‘moonshine’’ after he attacked his partner while drunk on the home brew alcohol.

On March 19, William Mark Candy had been drinking with a friend when the two got into a physical fight. His partner, who is the victim of the offending, went to pick him up about 10.15pm.

The summary of facts described Candy as being intoxicated, difficult and aggressive at the time.

When the couple got home, the victim tried to talk to the defendant in the kitchen, but he pushed her against the wall, punched her in the face and picked up a frying pan, which he then held over her head as a form of intimidation.

Candy continued to yell abuse as he went around the house damaging property, including pulling the back off a Lazy Boy chair, which he threw at her.

He then picked up a butter knife and went outside, where he scratched the side of a car and kicked a large dent in the door. Candy also kicked in a glass pane of the front door.

The 33-year-old previously pleaded guilty to two charges of male assaults female and two of wilful damage in relation to this offending.

During his sentencing in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday, he also pleaded guilty to a charge of driving in a dangerous manner, which was also committed on January 19.

After Candy reversed out of a driveway onto State Highway 45, near Warea, South Taranaki, he stopped in the middle of the road.

An approaching motorcyclist had to slow down and as he followed Candy, he noticed the defendant was weaving across the road and applying the brakes often.

Candy was observed travelling at speeds between 60-120 kmh and at one point threw an empty bourbon can out of the window.

As the motorcyclist passed Candy’s car, the defendant yelled at him and then accelerated to get closer to the rider. Fearful he might get rammed by Candy, the rider sped off, reaching speeds of up to 200kmh.

Candy kept up with the motorcyclist, who rode to Opunake police station to report the incident.

Candy’s lawyer Kylie Pascoe said a restorative justice meeting between Candy and his partner had taken place and the defendant had agreed to several conditions, including not to drink home brew.

Commonly known as ‘‘moonshine’’ Pascoe said Candy’s misuse of the whisky had caused him to black out and have little memory of his actions.

Judge Chris Sygrove sentenced Candy to nine months’ supervision and imposed $1000 in fines, along with court costs.

On the driving charge, Candy was convicted and fined $500. He was also disqualified from driving for six months.