Gang member jailed for vicious attacks
A Black Power gang member stomped on an unconscious and physically disabled man’s head in an unprovoked attack because he didn’t like his T-shirt.
Then about eight months later, while on electronically monitored bail, Kevin Francis Moore junior brutally bashed a second victim so badly he lost the use of an eye, the New Plymouth District Court heard.
Moore appeared before Judge Maree MacKenzie for sentencing on two charges of wounding with intent to injure after pleading guilty to the charges.
The court was told that the first attack, in February 2018, began when Moore verbally abused his 63-year-old victim, who uses a mobility scooter because of physical and mental disabilities, in Waitara’s main street, near the intersection of Queen and McLean before it escalated to violence.
The 34-year-old then walked over to where the man was sitting and began punching him in the head before flinging him to the ground, the police summary of facts stated.
‘‘The defendant still had hold streets, physical of the victim and the victim’s head hit the bonnet of a parked vehicle.
‘‘The defendant let go of the victim and while the victim’s head was still on the bonnet the defendant kicked the victim’s body.’’ Moore continued to kick his victim in the chest and stomach after he rolled off the car and fell into the gutter.
‘‘The defendant placed one hand on the bonnet of the vehicle and stomped on the victim’s head twice.’’
Moore later denied the assault but told police ‘‘Black Power do what we do and we always will. I will do it until I die’’.
In October, Moore went to a Waitara address and beat another man so badly he required surgery but lost the use of an eye permanently.
‘‘He has knocked out four teeth and punched the victim in the right eye area at least twice before being pulled away from the victim by another person in the house.’’
Part of the victim’s eye had to be surgically removed later that night.
Crown solicitor Cherie Clarke said Judge MacKenzie found the aggravating factors in Moore’s first attack included that the violence was gratuitous, unprovoked, had a degree of premeditation, involved an attack to the head and didn’t stop once the victim was knocked out.
His second victim was at home where he was entitled to feel safe, he was vulnerable because he was in bed asleep and he lost the use of his eye due to the extent of the violence.
MacKenzie gave Moore a 20 per cent discount for his difficult upbringing which involved physical and emotional abuse, drugs and alcohol and a gang lifestyle. Moore was sentenced to a total of four years and four months’ imprisonment at Tuesday’s hearing, which he will have to serve in its entirety as he was also given his second strike warning.