Man beaten in ‘uncivilised’ assault

‘‘Bad blood’’ between two men led to an assault near a remote South Taranaki lake, a court was told.

Jason Mark Landers, 31, from Manaia, went to Lake Rotorangi on February 28 along the Tangahoe Valley Rd looking for the victim, the Ha¯wera District Court heard.

He met the other man driving back from the lake and used his utility vehicle to block the road.

Landers left his vehicle carrying a 40cm ring spanner, approached the victim and attempted to drag him out of his car, but he failed, so he punched him twice in the head instead, a police summary of facts said.

The victim received a small cut to his left ear and some pain to his left eye.

He fought back and, with the help of an associate, the two men were separated.

The victim left and drove back towards Ha¯ wera with Landers following. On the way the victim rang the police, who advised him to go to the police station, the summary said.

At the police station both men ended up out of their vehicles facing up to each other, but police intervened before any further assault could occur.

Landers appeared for sentencing yesterday. He had pleaded guilty at a previous appearance to charges of assault and possessing an offensive weapon.

‘‘This has come about because of some baiting from the victim. A can of beer was thrown at his car and there was some banter back and forth and he’s snapped,’’ duty lawyer Alice Vickers said.

Landers was already half way through an anger management course and had sought a restorative justice conference, but the victim was unwilling, she said.

Judge Sygrove sentenced Landers to six months’ supervision.

‘‘By the looks of it there’s a bit of bad blood between you and the victim. Blocking the road and dragging the victim out of his car is not very civilised behaviour. You’re clearly remorseful, and you accepted without question that you have done wrong.’’

‘‘This has come about because of some baiting from the victim.’’

Alice Vickers