Attacker gouges police officer’s eye

A drunk man who took exception to police asking him to tip out his alcohol ended up gouging an officer in the eye.

The New Plymouth District Court heard that in the early hours of July 15 last year, Alexander Nataniera Kelly was with a group of people drinking alcohol in a public car park on Robe St, which is within the city’s liquor ban area.

Judge Garry Barkle said police officers approached the group and asked them to tip out the alcohol but Kelly failed to comply with repeated requests to do so. This led to a confrontation with police during which Kelly swung several punches.

The judge said ‘‘most concerningly’’ the defendant then gouged part of the right eye of the police officer. Kelly continued to throw punches and resist attempts by police to arrest him, while continuously making threats, the judge said.

As a result of the eye gouge, the officer received an injury to his cornea, along with cuts and bruises to his face and hands. ‘‘He was very lucky, he says, not to have any permanent damage to his eye area,’’ Judge Barkle said.

Kelly previously pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault on police, threatening to kill and resisting arrest and appeared in court for sentencing yesterday. Lawyer Jo Woodcock said Kelly’s pre-sentence report was ‘‘relatively positive’’.

‘‘He certainly accepts that alcohol is a major problem for him and he has taken steps to address that,’’ she said.

Judge Barkle agreed and said it appeared Kelly had been ‘‘contrite’’ about the offending. He said Kelly had told his probation officer he knew he acted inappropriately. Kelly also admitted he had downed three bottles of ‘‘top shelf alcohol’’ prior to the altercation with police.

‘‘Sadly what we see in this court so often is alcohol and drug related. If he [Kelly] got that under control I doubt we’d ever see him again,’’ the judge said.

Other than his alcohol problem, Kelly had a stable home life, was in full time employment and had supports in place.

Kelly was sentenced to complete 150 hours of community work and ordered to pay $750 in emotional harm reparation.

‘‘What we see in this court so often is alcohol and drug related.’’

Judge Garry Barkle