A man was left with five broken teeth, a broken nose and a concussion after he was coward punched at a Milton pub, a court has heard.
Damian Ross Wyber, 36, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to injuring with intent to injure.
The court heard that on June 27, the defendant was at a pub in Milton playing pool and drinking alcohol.
He was chatting to another patron, but became upset and verbally abusive with him.
The patron’s friend was standing nearby and came over to try to de-escalate the situation by talking to Wyber.
He stood between the two arguing men drinking a beer and without warning Wyber punched him in the face.
The defendant then turned his attention to the victim’s friend, but other bar-goers got involved and tried to separate the fracas, a police summary said.
The victim suffered a cut to his eye, a broken nose, swelling to both eyes, five chipped teeth and a concussion.
Yesterday, counsel Liam Collins said his client was attacked by the victim’s friends after he delivered the punch, but the defendant was the only one facing charges.
Mr Collins accepted "assaults on him afterwards don’t undo his initial assault", but wanted to highlight some rough justice had already been delivered.
He said Wyber had no previous convictions for violence, was a hard worker and was remorseful for his offending.
Judge Brian Callaghan accepted Wyber had been assaulted, but highlighted the danger that came with attacks to the head.
"Blows to the head can effectively cause traumatic and lethal brain damage," he said.
"You knew what you were doing, clearly. You might’ve been driven by alcohol, but that’s not an excuse."
Judge Callaghan sentenced Wyber to six months’ community detention and ordered him to pay $2000 reparation for the victim’s medical costs and emotional harm.
"I don’t see you as a person who is likely ... to do this again," the judge said.
