A deaf Westport man stomped on a dog and stabbed a mattress after someone refused to fight him.
Darren Michael Roberts, 47, appeared in Westport District Court yesterday assisted by a New Zealand sign language interpreter.
He pleaded guilty to charges of ill-treating animals and behaving threateningly, and a charge reduced from possession of an offensive weapon to wilful damage.
Police prosecutor Steven Greer said Roberts was intoxicated when he tried to entice the fight at a Westport address on January 18.
He put up his fists but the victim, who was familiar with sign language, signalled that he was not interested.
Roberts continued to seek a fight.
The victim left and pretended to go to sleep but Roberts followed him to his room with a bamboo stick. He hit the door several times until it opened.
When the victim still refused to fight he dropped the stick and walked away.
The victim left and called the police. When they arrived they saw Roberts stomping on a pitbull cross dog and pulled him off it.
He was released on bail but returned home the next day, threw property around and stabbed a mattress valued at $100 belonging to the victim.
Defending, Ian Miller said Roberts would benefit from a supervision sentence with anger management. He had previously been sentenced to supervision but not anger management.
Judge Jane McMeeken said she was concerned about Roberts' list of convictions. He couldn't keep behaving aggressively or he would end up in prison and she didn't think that would be a good place for him.
She adjourned matters for a full report that would look at a supervision sentence.
- by the Westport News
