Eye gouger found guilty

A man who deliberately ripped out his victim’s eye during a bar brawl has been convicted of causing the sickening injury.

Hiwawa Kahu, along with his father and brother, were charged after the September 9, 2017 attack on a Te Kuiti man at the Nag N’ Noggin bar in New Plymouth.

The brawl happened about 10.15pm, after the All Blacks versus Argentina test match at Yarrow Stadium, which is about 500 metres from the Tukapa St pub.

The victim underwent emergency surgery at Waikato Hospital in a bid to save his right eye, but this was unsuccessful.

Yesterday, Hiwawa Kahu appeared in the New Plymouth District Court, where he pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

His 53-year-old father, John Joseph Kahu, appeared alongside him in the dock and pleaded guilty to assault with a weapon.

Sibling Stefan Paul Kahu, 32, previously pleaded guilty to common assault.

The Kahu family were visiting New Plymouth for the rugby test, as were the victim and his partner. The parties were unknown to each other and walked to the Nag N’ Noggin independently of each other following the game.

The summary of facts outlined that while at the bar Hiwawa Kahu saw an older male patron talking to his 12-year-old nephew, something which made him upset. The older man was verbally abused by the 20-year-old before the bar manager stepped in.

The victim had watched the exchange between the two and invited the older man to come and sit at his table. John Kahu then approached the older patron and starting hurling abuse at him before a scuffle between the men.

The older patron pushed John Kahu, which resulted in Hiwawa and Stefan Kahu joining in.

In an attempt to protect the older man, the victim stood in front of him and soon became the target of John Kahu’s aggression.

The victim was verbally abused and John Kahu jabbed at the man’s chest. In response, the victim shoved the defendant, who fell to the ground.

Hiwawa Kahu then confronted the victim and started verbally abusing him. During this, John Kahu picked up a bar stool and struck the victim, hitting the man’s forearm. This caused the victim to try and move away but Stefan and Hiwawa Kahu continued to walk towards him.

The victim then picked up a bar stool and hit Hiwawa Kahu with it. Multiple punches were then thrown at the victim’s head and body by Stefan and Hiwawa Kahu, and John Kahu hit him twice more with a bar stool.

Hiwawa Kahu then pushed his thumb into the victim’s right eye and pulled it from its socket, causing the man to cry out in pain.

A member of the public broke up the fight.

Hiwawa Kahu was overheard bragging as he rushed away from the scene: ‘‘It got him right in the eye, I took it right out, that’s how you’ve got to do it, you’ve got to go right for the eyes.’’

The victim was rushed to hospital for treatment.

At Thursday’s hearing, Judge Chris Sygrove sentenced John Kahu to 200 hours of community work. Hiwawa Kahu was referred to restorative justice and a full pre-sentence report was ordered. A nominal sentencing date of June 28 was given by the court.

Stefan Kahu is due to be sentenced on July 12.