A Lake Hayes man has been sentenced to home detention and community work for breaking a stranger's jaw in Ashburton last year.
George Edward Tilson (24), a builder, appeared in the Queenstown District Court last Friday charged with reckless disregard for the safety of others causing grievous bodily harm to Daniel Smith-Kerr on March 13.
Judge Mark Callaghan said Tilson became involved in an altercation in an alleyway between two groups, one of which included the victim.
Despite not knowing the victim, ''you threw yourself forward at him and punched him in the jaw with force''.
The victim lost two teeth and suffered a broken jaw, for which he required surgery to have four metal plates inserted.
He also lost feeling in his chin, a condition that was potentially permanent.
A pre-sentence report found Tilson was remorseful, but considered the punch a ''pre-emptive strike''.
Judge Callaghan said he accepted the offending was spontaneous and ''classic, careless recklessness''.
He sentenced Tilson to three months' home detention and 120 hours' community work, with the special conditions of completing an appropriate programme as directed by probation, and not to possess or consume alcohol or drugs for the duration of the sentence and six months post the sentence's end date.
He also ordered him to pay the victim $2000 in reparation for emotional harm.
Discharge granted
Judge Callaghan granted an English tourist a discharge without conviction after it was agreed to downgrade his indecent assault charge to one of common assault.
Amar Sawjani (24), of England, was charged with indecently assaulting Charlotte Geen, of Australia, at a Queenstown backpackers hostel on January 3.
The judge said Sawjani and the complainant were in an eight-bed dorm room when, in the early hours of January 3, he ''endeavoured to strike up an association'' with her, got into her bed and touched her on the leg.
She rejected his advances.
Lawyer Joseph Mooney said Ms Geen had been ''ambivalent'' about reporting the incident, and had no intention of returning to Queenstown to give evidence at a trial.
Sawjani was due to return that day to Australia, where he was on a working holiday, and was keen to resolve the matter as soon as possible.
After counsel and police agreed to amend the charge, Sawjani pleaded guilty and made a $300 payment to Women's Refuge.
Judge Callaghan said the defendant's actions were inappropriate, but at the lowest end of the scale.
He had a bachelor's degree in business studies, and it was accepted a conviction would impact his job prospects in Australia and the United Kingdom.
