Man admits being a drunk bully

A Waitara man repaid the kindness of a stranger by punching and kicking him before stealing money from his wallet.

Casio G-Shock Marino was at McDonalds in New Plymouth about 3.40am on August 4, whe he approached the man and asked to borrow a cigarette and a lighter.

The stranger obliged but when he asked for his lighter back Marino refused and told him he couldn’t have it unless he let him punch him.

The 22-year-old Marino then demanded the man give him his packet of cigarettes and again threatened to assault him.

The victim then snatched his lighter but an associate of Marino’s grabbed the man around the throat and pushed him against a glass barrier.

Marino seized the man’s wallet and pulled it out before an associate took it off him and returned it to the victim.

Before leaving Marino threw two punches at the victim. The second connected and knocked him to the ground where he was kicked. The victim was knocked unconscious and when he came around he called police.

On Tuesday Marino appeared before Judge Chris Sygrove in the New Plymouth District Court for sentencing on two charges of theft and one of injuring with intent to injure.

Defence lawyer Patrick Mooney said the assault involved a single kick and the victim suffered no consequences other than some bruising.

Mooney said Marino immediately took responsibility for the offending and acknowledged he was being a bully.

Crown prosecutor Stephanie Simpkin said aggravating factors included the level of violence, the attack was aimed at the head and involved multiple offenders while mitigating factors were Marino’s youth and lack of previous.

Sygrove acknowledged Marino immediately admitted he was drunk and being a bully.

His victim suffered soreness to the left side of his face and nose.

Normally Marino’s offending would have attracted a term of imprisonment or home detention at least, he said. Instead he imposed a sentence of six months’ community detention and nine months’ supervision.

Marino was also order to pay his victim $30 reparation for the cash he stole from his wallet.