Three men who appeared in the Queenstown District Court yesterday on unrelated assault charges, highlighted Queenstown's problem with alcohol-related offending, Judge Michael Crosbie said.
All the offences occurred after midnight and after the men had been drinking.
Geremy Greacon Peter Foxley (33), of Kapiti Coast, admitted assaulting Vivian Rewi on June 8.
The judge said the combination of alcohol and the late hour resulting in an offence of that nature was all too common in Queenstown.
Queenstown's violence statistics sprang from a combination of "all manner of things".
Because the resort had a "significant issue of [violence] in . . . the early morning", defendants could only expect discharge without conviction in exceptional cases.
Foxley was remanded to October 20.
• Kahu Clinton May (18), labourer, of Queenstown, admitted assaulting two strangers after confronting them at an automatic teller machine on Shotover St.
The court was told that at 12.55am on September 13, May approached Dylan Langley Walker and his girlfriend, Sophie Louise Gibbs.
In what appeared to be an unprovoked attack, May punched Mr Walker in the face before a fracas erupted, with May continuing to assault Mr Walker until he was forced backwards.
He also pushed Miss Gibbs over.
Judge Crosbie said May had admitted wilful damage, resisting police and offensive behaviour charges since June and asked him if his "long-term ambition" was to end up in prison.
May was sentenced to 80 hours' community work and given a final warning.
• Nathan Paul Bennett (23), builder, of Albert Town, admitted assaulting Constable Sean Hurley on September 6, at Wanaka, following a protracted incident at a Wanaka bar.
Bennett had been asked to leave by security staff, but refused and then became verbally abusive.
When police arrived, Bennett continued to be aggressive and abusive and resisted arrest.
He was eventually taken to the ground where he continued to struggle.
While on his back, being handcuffed, Bennett deliberately kicked Const Hurley in the head.
When he arrived at the Wanaka police station, he continued to struggle.
Defence counsel Phena Byrne said her client was "extremely remorseful" and had been drinking since 6.30pm the night before the incident.
Judge Crosbie said an aggravating factor was the kick to the officer's head.
"When you sit in my position, you see the effects of assault on people. One of the worst places you can assault a person is to the head - a kick to the head can lead to extremely serious consequences .
"You were out of control and you kicked someone [in the head] while he was doing no more than performing his duty. It's cowardly and it's overly aggressive."
Sentencing Bennett to 80 hours' community work, Judge Crosbie added: "There is far too much of this going on. Everyone knows it."
