A nightclubber who punched a man and left him brain damaged will spend Christmas in prison after breaching bail five times.
Sitaleki Langi Koloamatangi has pleaded guilty to punching Trevor Kaukau and was to be sentenced at the Auckland District Court today.
Mr Kaukau is still living in a rehabilitation centre and has had to relearn how to shower and speak.
Koloamatangi has failed to show up to at least two meetings with a probation officer and his pre-sentence report has not been completed.
Judge Roy Wade said the 20-year-old had also breached bail five times.
The judge had earlier told Koloamatangi that he would consider a sentence of home detention but today said the prisoner was looking at a sentence behind bars.
"You were sent a letter instructing you to attend at Community Probation on November 22 at 9am but you couldn't be bothered to get up out of bed to go to your interview.''
Judge Wade said a probation officer visited Koloamatangi at home and gave him a new date.
"But you couldn't be bothered turning up to that either.''
Koloamatangi went to an appointment at WINZ instead.
"It is perfectly plain to me that the sentence will be one of imprisonment,'' Judge Wade said.
He said Koloamatangi was "unwilling or incapable'' of doing a community-based sentence.
Koloamatangi was at a nightclub on Auckland's Karangahape Rd in the early hours of Saturday June 25.
He went outside for a smoke and met Mr Kaukau.
At a previous hearing, Judge Wade said Mr Kaukau made an "obscene suggestion'' to Koloamatangi before Koloamatangi punched him on the chin.
Mr Kaukau fell backwards and banged his head on the pavement. He spent weeks in hospital and was put into an induced coma.
His sister Rebecca Kaukau said the family is happy with the progress he is making but he will never fully recover.
"The situation is always two steps forward and one step back but we're always happy he is making one step forward all the time.''
She said Mr Kaukau's loving family is giving him support in the rehabilitation centre.
"Some days he is up and about for a few hours and then he might be bedridden for five days.''
She said Mr Kaukau still has part of his skull removed to relieve pressure on his brain and the family hope that can be re-attached in February or March.
Koloamatangi is due to be sentenced in February.
