The Supreme Court has granted a Kawerau builder, jailed for seven years for attacking a policeman, leave to appeal his conviction.
Aaron Wi, 34, was sentenced in Tauranga District Court last September after a jury found he had viciously attacked a policeman trying to calm him down in the drunken aftermath of a wedding.
Family members wept as he was led from the dock by prison officers.
"There needs to be very clear denunciation and deterrents for anybody minded to attack police officers doing their sworn duty," Judge Christopher Harding said.
The jail term was for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
On a further charge of aggravated assault on a second constable, Wi was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment -- to be served concurrently.
First found guilty in 2005, he appealed and was re-tried in 2007. A second jury also brought in guilty verdicts.
The court was told Wi completely refused to accept any responsibility for what he had done.
But defence counsel said Wiki continued to deny the offending and was not a violent man.
Originally the Crown alleged there had been "multiple attackers" on the police officers at Papamoa during the November 15 2003, incident. But Judge Harding said other people had been tried and acquitted. Wi had to be sentenced on the basis of his trial.
The Supreme Court said the approved ground for the appeal was whether Wiki should have been permitted at his trial to adduce evidence that he had no convictions for any criminal offence involving violence.
