Postfuneral drinks turn messy

AFTER drinking too much at a workmate’s funeral, a Kaitangata man went home and kicked up a stink.

Eli David Waddingham (25), meat worker, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after pleading guilty to a charge of assault.

After the February 3 funeral and associated rum binge, he went back to the home he shared with his partner and went to bed — where he soiled himself.

But the faecal matters were just the start of the evening’s dramas.

Waddingham walked into the lounge where his girlfriend was talking to a male friend.

When the woman noticed her boyfriend had ‘‘made a mess on himself and in the bed’’, the pair argued.

Waddingham flipped a glass coffee table, which prompted the other man to run from the house.

He then grabbed the victim by the Tshirt, ripping it.

The woman also left the house and called police from outside.

Officers found Waddingham in the dirtied bedroom where he had barricaded himself.

‘‘He was verbally abusive and took a fighting stance as police attempted to talk to him,’’ the summary of facts said.

The defendant had to be peppersprayed into submission, Judge Michael Turner said.

Waddingham was too intoxicated to be interviewed.

In court yesterday, the judge spoke to the victim, who confirmed she had to clean up ‘‘the mess’’.

‘‘Some of his friends helped me,’’ she said.

Despite the soiling episode, the victim was committed to continuing the relationship.

Waddingham had paid for a new coffee table and attended alcohol counselling.

‘‘I can’t believe he’d ever do it again,’’ his partner said.

While the defendant had no domestic violence cases sullying his criminal record, the judge noted four alcoholrelated convictions and three which involved violence.

He sentenced Waddingham to six months’ supervision ‘‘to address alcohol issues and a tendency to act violently when drunk’’.

The defendant will also spend the next two months on community detention, during which he will be unable to leave his parents’ home at weekends.