A Dunedin man hit another man with a car in a "surprise attack", breaking his sternum and leaving him bedridden, a court has heard.
Cody Alan McConnell, 35, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after earlier pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent to injure.
The court heard that on January 28, 2023, McConnell was socialising with a woman and went to her house.
The victim, who knew McConnell and the woman, suddenly arrived at the house.
An argument broke out between the two men and escalated to a physical altercation.
The woman got other people to defuse the situation and McConnell left.
But he returned a short time later to get something he had left behind.
He had an argument with the woman which was overheard by the victim.
The victim followed McConnell into the driveway and threw a bottle at his windscreen as he left.
Later McConnell phoned the woman and sent abusive text messages.
He returned to the address, this time saying he forgot his hat.
The woman met him in the driveway and returned it.
The victim banged on the back of McConnell’s car as he drove away.
McConnell did a U-turn over the grass median before he sped at the victim and struck him with enough force that he became airborne.
The victim landed heavily near a gutter.
McConnell drove off and was later located by police.
Five months after the incident, the victim died in a car crash, but he had previously written a victim impact statement to the court.
He said he suffered a fractured sternum, bruised hand and swelling.
He was bedridden and off work for four weeks.
Crown prosecutor Clementine Flatley called the assault a "surprise attack" and said the victim was vulnerable as he had his back to the car.
She said it was only by good fortune that nobody was more seriously injured or killed in the incident.
Counsel Brian Kilkelly said his client was "utterly remorseful" for his offending and pointed to the 10-year gap in his criminal history.
Judge Michel Turner highlighted the defendant had convictions for assaults and a driving matter but had not offended since 2013.
The judge sentenced McConnell to 10 months and two weeks’ home detention and disqualified him from driving for two years.
