Dunedin man admits violent home invasion

A young Dunedin man has admitted holding a knife to another man's throat and threatening to kill him.

Kurt Tamati Winkelmann, 25, painter, had elected trial by jury on a series of allegations from the incident. But he pleaded guilty to three charges in the Dunedin District Court yesterday when two other charges were withdrawn.

Winkelmann was convicted of injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, threatening to kill and unlawfully possessing a knife.

Judge Kevin Phillips remanded him in custody for sentence on May 27.

The facts summary from Crown counsel Richard Smith said Winkelmann and two others were disguised and wearing dark clothing when they went to a Cashel St house about 7am on September 13. One of the group climbed through a bedroom window and opened the front door for Winkelmann and the third associate.

Two of them went to the 32-year-old victim's bedroom. They woke him, punched and kicked him and dragged him to his flatmate's bedroom where Winkelmann held a knife to his throat and threatened to kill him.

Winkelmann also showed him several text messages which the victim could not understand. And he hit the victim on the head with the handle of the knife, causing at least two cuts.

The victim managed to escape and locked himself in his room. The defendant and his associates left the house, leaving behind the defendant's knife and cell phone.

When they returned about two hours later to retrieve the items, the victim saw them coming and barricaded himself in his bedroom. Winkelmann used a rubbish bin lid to smash the victim's bedroom window, yelling at him to "get out". He then made the victim's flatmate get his cell phone.

Police spoke to Winkelmann and the others not far from the house. The defendant denied being at the address or assaulting the victim.

The attack left the victim with moderate injuries to his head, eyes, face and body. He was treated by ambulance staff at his home but required no further medical attention.

 

 

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