Community detention for knock-out hit

A 21-year-old who knocked a man unconscious with a single punch was told by a judge that if he wanted to be violent he should take up cagefighting.

Aaron Reuben Morresey had previously admitted a charge of injures by unlawful act after a latenight assault at a social gathering on Devon St East, New Plymouth.

The maximum penalty for the charge is three years’ imprisonment.

According to a police summary of facts, Morresey was standing in front of the address about 1am on August 29, 2020, and was approached by the victim, who raised a concern with him.

Morresey did not like what he heard and told the victim to ‘‘f... off’’, and the victim went back inside.

A short time later, Morresey yelled for the victim to come back out, and as he walked through the door, Morrisey punched him on the jaw.

The punch had enough force to knock the victim unconscious, and he fell back on to the ground, hitting the back of his head, the summary said.

Morresey left the scene, while the victim had to be taken to Taranaki Base Hospital.

He had a 3cm laceration to the back of his head and a broken jaw.

In court yesterday, Judge Tony Greig noted Morresey’s parents were at the back of the court and asked him how they would feel if he was sent to prison.

‘‘They would be gutted,’’ Morresey replied. ‘‘Your mother would probably cry herself to sleep every night thinking of all the horrible things that probably would be happening to you in prison.

‘‘You would come out a very different young man.’’

Morresey was sentenced to five months of community detention, with a curfew from 9pm–5am, 12 months of supervision and reparation of $500.

The judge told him he would run out of friends if he became violent while he drank.

A probation report had stated Morresey thought violence was cool, but he told the judge he did not.

‘‘If you want to be violent like that, take up cagefighting,’’ Judge Greig said.