A man who got violent with bar staff after refusing to wear a mask has been told by a judge he needs to accept help for his mental health challenges.
After refusing a request to wear a mask, he was asked to leave.
"Throw me out then," he yelled back "aggressively".
Court documents state Lewis then spat in the worker’s face and attempted to put him in a choke hold. Lewis was subsequently charged with assault.
It was not his only violent outburst in September.
Eleven days earlier, Lewis had offended in Taupo.
At Lewis’ sentencing in the Dunedin District Court yesterday, Judge Jane McMeeken said he was unprovoked in the incidents and the victims were innocent people going about their lives.
"You frightened and hurt them," she said.
In the first Taupo incident, just before lunchtime, Lewis approached a man sitting in his vehicle at Secombe Park.
"Where’s my food?" he demanded.
When the victim replied he did not have any, Lewis became aggressive, demanding he go get some as he smashed the driver’s door window of the car.
Later that night, Lewis "aggressively" approached a couple in the Taupo Pak’nSave car park who were putting their groceries away.
He threw their trolley to the ground before pushing the man against the vehicle.
Shouting at him, Lewis pushed him again, which caused his head to hit the canopy, resulting in a concussion.
He then threw the man to the ground and held him there, demanding meat.
The victim’s partner handed it over, and Lewis ran off.
Judge McMeeken said it was sad Lewis continued to deny his bipolar diagnosis and not take prescribed medication.
"You seem to think that your mental health doesn’t contribute to your offending," she said.
"Sadly Mr Lewis, you have a mental illness and the experts say you need to take medication for that illness.
"Not having treatment puts you at risk of hurting yourself and others."
Lewis was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment.
