Stolen bike wheel led to violence
A stolen bicycle wheel changed life instantly and permanently for Christchurch aborist Wayne Scothern and homeless man Christopher Stone.
Scothern, 46, found Stone with a wheel raided from his locked-up bike, only two blocks from his central city flat.
Stone, 37, was finishing his ‘‘cigarette butt run’’ on Manchester St, picking up butts along the street to try to get enough tobacco for a smoke of his own.
Scothern drove his four-wheeldrive car onto the footpath, ramming Stone into a bus shelter and smashing his leg.
Scothern’s then-partner jumped out of the car, grabbed the stolen wheel back, and they drove off.
That was one of the things that worried Christchurch District Court Judge Jane Farish at Scothern’s sentencing on Thursday after he was found guilty at trial of injuring Stone with reckless disregard for his safety.
He had been so totally focused on retrieving the wheel he had not considered the consequences, injuring the thief and then driving off without checking him. Judge Farish said he had been ‘‘dismissive’’ of Stone – one of those marginalised by society.
Stone suffered a compound fracture of his leg that required a cast and then a skin graft.
Scothern claimed he wanted to block the victim from getting away and had not meant to ram or injure him, but he had to admit the recklessness involved in driving up onto the footpath. The jury found him guilty.
The conviction has had huge implications for him. He had been employed as an arborist, living in a relationship while hoping to get permanent New Zealand residency and arranging for his father to come out from England to join him.
Since the trial – which attracted media coverage – his relationship has broken up, he has lost his job, his work visa has been terminated, and he is likely to face a deportation order.
Defence counsel Andrew Riches took issue with the Crown’s claim that the crash involved ‘‘serious violence’’, and the judge agreed. He disputed the claim it was ‘‘vigilante action’’ which deserved an increased sentence.
Crown prosecutor Deidre Orchard said Scothern took the law into his own hands, and his actions caused ‘‘immediate pain and considerable damage’’.
Judge Farish described Scothern as being immature and impulsive. His actions led to significant consequences. His recklessness was a short-lived, spur of the moment decision.
She released him on home detention for five months, ordered him to do $350 hours of community work, and ordered him to pay $1000 emotional harm reparations to the victim. She also gave him a first-strike warning.