A man has been sentenced in Masterton District Coourt to nine months supervision and 40 hours community work after knocking his friend unconscious at a pub.
Sawmill worker Kelly Tangiora, 39, drove a drunk friend to a Masterton pub on December 22, 2022.
Tangiora tried to convince his friend to leave after he continually bothered other patrons; when he refused, Tangiora punched him once, knocking him unconscious.
He then remained at the scene, called 111, and waited for the ambulance and police to arrive.
The charge of assault with intent to injure carries a maximum sentence of three years, but it can be served as home or community detention if the sentence is less than two years.
But lawyer Ian Hard said his client would lose his job and home if subject to an electronically monitored community sentence.
“This is an aberration in the life of Mr Tangiora; he’s not likely to re-offend and has full support from his whānau and iwi,” Hard said. Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa social worker Bruce Te Rangi said the iwi was prepared to wrap support around Tangiora as part of a supervision sentence instead of a community detention sentence, which would cause him to lose his job and home.
“We will keep in contact with Kelly; check in on him, his wife, and his children.
“Kelly made a poor judgement, but with iwi now, we will support him in positive change,” Te Rangi said.
Judge Andrew Nicholls said Tangiora, a Mongrel Mob member, had made many good decisions since moving from Wairoa to Masterton two years ago to distance himself from gang violence.
“You’ve got your kids in school; you’ve got yourself a job where your supervisor sings your praises.
“Your landlord said you and your family are model tenants,” Judge Nicholls said.
Judge Nicholls said it was serious offending and that Tangiora had things to work on with alcohol and violence.
“You’ve made a lot of good decisions and one bad decision: you knocked a man unconscious.”
Tangiora was convicted and sentenced to nine months supervision from Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, which will provide a monthly report to probation.
He was also sentenced to 40 hours community work, which Judge Nicholls said was the minimum amount he could give.
