Defendant’s pro rugby prospects discounted

A VIOLENT offender with dubious professional rugby prospects has been ordered to pay his victim $1000.

Pesajon Tili (22) appeared in the Dunedin District Court in November, when his bid for a discharge without conviction was shot down by Judge Dominic Flatley.

The defendant — who played a handful of games for Harbour Rugby Club’s top team last season — based his application on the possibility a conviction would end his dreams of an overseas career playing rugby.

The judge highlighted the lack of evidence as to whether that was a realistic goal and Harbour’s premier coach, former Highlanders player Ryan Nicholas, did not exactly give Tili his stamp of approval.

‘‘If he somehow put on 30kg, grew another three feet and played amazingly this year he might have a chance of playing Super [Rugby]. It’s not out of the realms of possibility but it’s a far stretch,’’ he said.

Tili came back before the court yesterday on the charge of wounding with reckless disregard.

His counsel Brian Kilkelly said the defendant was now living with his partner and her family in Oamaru and working in a pie factory.

He hoped to play premier rugby for a new team this year, the court heard.

‘‘He is utterly remorseful and appalled at his actions,’’ Mr Kilkelly said.

Tili was the passenger in a car that had stopped at traffic lights in the Octagon on March 18 last year.

The trigger for the violence, Mr Kilkelly said, was the victim licking the car’s window.

The defendant approached the victim and threatened to smash him.

As the man’s friends tried to cool tempers, Tili threw a ‘‘lefthook-style punch’’, which connected with the victim’s jaw and sent him backwards where he hit his head on the pavement.

The man lay there unconscious for about a minute, bleeding from the back of his head.

He needed six stitches but it could have been much worse.

‘‘You could have caused serious head injury or death,’’ Judge Flatley said.

The judge said the defendant had consumed a large amount of alcohol on the day of the incident and it was something he would have to address through counselling.

Tili was assessed as a low risk of reoffending by Probation.

Along with the emotionalharm reparation payment, he was sentenced to nine months’ supervision and 125 hours’ community work.