Duo guilty of threats

Two men who turned up at a New Plymouth address late at night and uninvited left behind a trail of threats and damage.

Yesterday, Sergeant Lewis Sutton told the New Plymouth District Court how, on December 6, 2018, Andrew Ryan Jacobsen and Jordan Myles Andrew Rangi arrived unannounced at an Egmont Rd property about 11pm. Rangi was upset regarding news his former partner was moving out of the area with his child.

The Egmont Rd house was where Rangi’s ex’s new partner lived but the couple were not at home when the incident took place, something the defendants were unaware of at the time.

When Rangi got to the front door, he banged on it loudly and yelled for the man to come out.

The man’s flatmate came to the door and told Rangi to leave, Sutton said.

The defendant refused and rang the new partner on the phone, demanding he return to the address. During the conversation, Rangi yelled at the man, swore and insulted him. He then threatened to damage a vehicle parked at the address, Sutton said.

Rangi ran into the garage, ignoring pleas from the flatmate to stop, before he kicked a Nissan vehicle multiple times, causing moderate damage to the driver’s side.

Sutton said Jacobsen then entered the garage and grabbed the flatmate by the scruff of his shirt and pushed him against the wall, threatening to hurt him if he told anyone about what he saw.

The defendants then left, but not before threatening a woman who was visiting the address and had come to see what the commotion was about.

Sutton said when she saw the pair she told them to leave. In reply Rangi threatened her, yelling in her face to the point where she was scared she was going to be attacked.

At yesterday’s appearance, Jacobsen and Rangi each pleaded guilty to common assault, wilful damage and behaves threateningly.

Their lawyer, Julian Hannam, said both men had bought $750 in cash with them to court in order to make emotional harm payments to the victims. But prior to the pair being sentenced, Judge Gregory Hikaka referred the case to restorative justice.

‘‘From what I’ve heard both of you are prepared to take that approach, which is encouraging.’’

The judge also asked for a presentence report to be completed on Jacobsen, due to a history of violent behaviour. Rangi had no previous convictions.

The pair will be sentenced on April 12.