Club-wielding attacker sentenced
A judge has taken a ‘‘lenient’’ approach when sentencing a ‘‘promising’’ Taranaki woman after she viciously assaulted a couple with a golf club.
Judge Gregory Hikaka stepped back from a sentence of home detention when dealing with Nioka Behan-Kitto in the New Plymouth District Court, acknowledging the backing she had from within her hapu¯ .
He ordered the 26-year-old to serve six months’ community detention and
12 months’ supervision for January
2019 pack assault at Churchill Heights, a New Plymouth look-out point, which left a woman in hospital for a week with a cracked rib and collapsed lung.
‘‘You’ve got to appreciate that this is what would be considered a lenient sentence for the level of violence you visited upon these victims,’’ the judge said.
About 10.15pm, Behan-Kitto and three young men were parked at Churchill Heights when a couple arrived.
The four yelled as the couple drove past and one of the young men threw a road cone at their car.
When the couple got out to assess the damage, the man was knocked to the ground, then punched and kicked.
The woman tried to pull the young men off her boyfriend, only to have one of them turn on her.
She was dragged away from her boyfriend as Behan-Kitto approached with a golf club. She swung the club at the woman, hitting her with such force the woman fell backwards, a police summary of facts stated.
Behan-Kitto yelled at the man to get back in the car, or he’d be next, but immediately hit him on the back, then smashed a window of the couple’s car.
The court heard the hapu¯ intended to assist Behan-Kitto in taking responsibility for her offending, and there could be a marae-based resolution incorporated into her sentence.
‘‘We’ve got that large contingency in the wings there waiting to provide those wrap-around services,’’ defence lawyer Kylie Pascoe submitted.
Judge Hikaka was concerned as to what had triggered Behan-Kitto that night and noted it had been an escalation of previous offending. But she has since expressed disappointment in her actions and has been attending anger management classes, he said.
Behan-Kitto showed promise, held a job of value to the community, and was in ‘‘good hands’’ with regard to her hapu¯ , Judge Hikaka said.
Behan-Kitto was sentenced on the previously admitted charges of assaulting a person with a blunt instrument, injuring with intent to injure and wilful damage, as well as a charge of obstructing police in an unrelated incident. In addition to community detention and supervision, Judge Hikaka ordered she pay reparation of $590 to her victims.
The three young men involved in the attack have remained unidentified and at large. It is not known whether they have since been arrested.
Behan-Kitto had declined to make a statement to police.