Ten years ago he was injured in a gas explosion in Mosgiel. Now he is in prison for assaulting police.
He wore thick sunglasses to mask scars he received in the blast. Surgeries are ongoing.
Back in 2012, McLeod and his associate were "huffing" propellant from 9kg gas bottles when the gas in the room became sufficiently concentrated to be ignited by the heater.
A decade later McLeod is trying to turn his life around following two spurts of violent offending after a trouble-free seven years.
For the first, he was charged with two burglaries, injuring by an unlawful act, two charges of assaulting police and one of resisting.
Early on April 29, McLeod and an associate entered escape-room company Solve it and Escape Limited in Invercargill.
After burgling it once, they returned an hour later to turn off the CCTV cameras and steal some more.
The total value of the goods was $4005.
The next day, police executed a search warrant at McLeod’s address, finding him hiding under duvet covers on his bed.
He refused to comply with police and pushed one of the sergeants.
McLeod only grew more aggressive, clenching his fists and starting to make "a series of growling noises, similar to a dog", court documents stated.
He broke free from their restraint and punched one officer with "considerable force".
Ultimately, he was tasered and handcuffed, but his tirade did not stop. On the way to the Invercargill Police Station he headbutted another sergeant and kicked a detective.
His second set of charges — threatening to kill, possessing an offensive weapon, and attempting to assault police — related to the night of October 10. When police responded a breach-of-the-peace callout, McLeod and two associates grew agitated and aggressive but walked off when presented with a taser.
McLeod returned with a tomahawk and approached a man standing outside his address.
McLeod held the tomahawk "as if to strike down on the victim’s head area."
"I’m going to chop your head off," he said. "I’m going to end this now."
After being disarmed and the police tried to restrain his associate, McLeod charged at one constable in a "highly aggressive and threatening manner".
Tasered twice, McLeod did not back down until pepper-sprayed.
Counsel Liam Collins said the defendant had a "sense of hopelessness" after he had lost his job and had only $16 at the end of the week.
Drugs and alcohol were not an excuse for the offending, but he did use them as a "coping mechanism" for personal health issues, as well as grief, at the time.
Judge Peter Rollo said McLeod showed remorse and had great insight into causes of his offending.
He also noted there was an offer of employment in the roofing sector waiting for him upon release.
McLeod was sentenced to nine months’ home detention, 175 hours’ community work, and ordered to pay reparation of $5680.
