Sibling squabble turns violent

Left in charge of the house while his parents went on holiday, a teenager whacked his sister in the head with a phone after she dobbed him in for breaking the rules.

As part of the agreement Luke Gray McKee had with his parents in order to be left home alone, he wasn’t supposed to have any overnight visitors.

But a March 9 squabble between McKee and his sister about this turned violent and landed the 18-year old with his very first criminal conviction.

The summary of facts said that at 1.45pm, McKee was at his Ohangai Rd home in Ha¯wera, South Taranaki.

‘‘The defendant has been looking after the family home as his parents had gone away for a holiday.’’

His sister was in the lounge when the pair began to argue.

McKee’s sister told him she had let their parents know of his plans to invite a friend over. McKee then called his parents to talk it over but while he was on the phone, his sister got upset about what he was saying.

She stood up and walked over to McKee and tried to take the phone away from him.

The defendant then turned on his sister and struck her ‘‘numerous times’’ with the phone, causing a small gash to the top left side of her head.

He also punched her as she called out for help.

On Wednesday, at the Ha¯ wera District Court, the teen pleaded guilty to a charge of male assaults female.

Police initially offered McKee diversion, a programme available to first-time offenders which, if completed, means they avoid a conviction.

However, the court heard that McKee had failed to complete the process.

Judge Chris Sygrove imposed a sentence of nine months’ supervision.