A teenage cannabis dealer with a penchant for knives has avoided a jail term because he would just ''learn his trade as a criminal'', a judge says.
Daniel Cooper-Willis (18) was sentenced to seven months' home detention when he appeared before the Dunedin District Court last week.
The teenager recently admitted charges of possessing cannabis for supply, selling cannabis, three counts of possessing an offensive weapon and one of assault - his first convictions.
The bulk of the offending came at the start of the year and the court heard Cooper-Willis had been on bail.
That was until August 3, when he saw someone talking to his sister in Dunedin City Library.
Cooper-Willis confronted the man, yelling at him to get away from her.
He stood over the victim then punched him in the face, which ''knocked his head back violently'', Judge Kevin Phillips said.
The man stood up and the teen hit him again.
It came after some ''very concerning'' offending, his counsel Meg Scally said.
Cooper-Willis came to the police's attention in January when he was stopped as he left a party in Manor Pl.
In a ''distinctive fanny pack'' the defendant was wearing, officers found scissors covered in cannabis residue, six bags of the class-C drug and $355 cash.
When he was later searched more thoroughly at the station, a 25cm knife was also found on him.
The following month, he was found with a knife twice within a week, both while socialising in the university precinct.
Judge Phillips said the repeated offending and breaches of bail did not reflect well on the teenager.
''You appear to have the attitude you can do what you like. Your propensity for violence and very bad decision-making is of such a level that in reality you're very close to going to prison,'' he said.
That, however, would effectively end his life, the judge said.
''You would just learn your trade as a criminal.''
Ms Scally told the court her client was not gang-affiliated and keeping him out of prison would avoid any unwanted approaches.
With his family background, he would be vulnerable to such approaches, she said.
Judge Phillips said Cooper-Willis had a ''huge uphill test'' in getting his life back on track but he was heartened to hear the defendant had reunited with his father.
The defendant will serve the home-detention term with his father in Christchurch.
Cooper-Willis was also ordered to complete 250 hours' community work and pay the victim of the assault $300.
