Flatmate feud leaves tyres slashed, TV smashed

Damon Lee Chisnall bore such a grudge against his former flatmates, he slashed the tyres of their car - but that was not enough.

After crawling into the Dundas St house through an unlocked window, the 25-year-old grabbed a $300 television, took it outside and slammed it on the bonnet of the already damaged car.

A laptop he also stole from the address was found smashed on the garden path.

Chisnall appeared yesterday in the Dunedin District Court, where he admitted charges of burglary and two of intentional damage in relation to the September 3 incident.

Two months earlier, the defendant showed a similar inability to control his rage.

He was at his mother's home on the evening of July 5 when he was told to keep the noise down because his teenage sister was in bed.

Chisnall responded by pushing his mother down the hallway multiple times, forcing her into the dining room.

He flipped a coffee table in the lounge, shoved the victim to the ground and punched her at least twice in the left ear.

The defendant then took his sister's guitar and smashed it against a door.

Judge Michael Turner said though the victim suffered no long-lasting physical injuries, the emotional trauma of being attacked by her son was significant.

The fact it took place in the woman's own home, a place she should feel safe, aggravated the situation, he said.

The judge deemed Chisnall's burglary of his former flat to be clearly premeditated.

There was, he said, a high chance of confrontation and because the defendant was wielding a knife, the outcome could have been severe.

Chisnall's criminal history featured other property offences and violence, as well as breaches of various court orders.

He was sentenced to five months' community detention and 12 months' intensive supervision.

Chisnall was ordered to pay $1500 reparation for the damage he caused during the two incidents.

Comments

Oh, yeah, he did that.

But they had transgressed the unwritten Law!

 

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