At the Dunedin District Court yesterday, Ashton Johnmayne Daley, 33, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard.
The court heard that on November 15, police attended the Dunedin Public Library as Daley and the victim became belligerent toward each other.
Later in the afternoon, the two were drinking at Daley’s Great King St address and a fight broke out between them.
Daley punched the victim in the face multiple times, causing it to bleed profusely.
The victim ended up on the ground. He crawled towards the door, believing he was going to be killed.
Daley dragged the man into the driveway and continued delivering blows.
The victim used a brief reprieve to escape. He ran into traffic on State Highway 1 where a member of the public sheltered him in their vehicle until emergency services arrived.
Police arrested the defendant who was in his bedroom. He was intoxicated and his knuckles were bruised, swollen and cut.
Fourteen of the victim’s ribs were fractured, as well as his nose, and cuts to his eyelids required stitches.
He had welts across his forehead and back, and cuts inside his mouth.
Daley was remanded in custody until his sentencing in April.
