An Arrowtown tradesman says a man he assaulted at the pub owed him money and "poked the bear" by bad-mouthing him.
At his sentencing on an assault charge in the Queenstown District Court yesterday, Scott Craig Woods (45), gib stopper, told Judge Russell Walker he had paid the victim $300 to carry out work at short notice on a house renovation in Wellington some years ago.
The victim failed to do the job but kept the money, and he had not seen him again until they "bumped into each other" in Arrowtown in 2021 and quarrelled about the money, Woods claimed.
The police summary of facts said the pair met by chance a second time at the Frankton Arm Tavern on July 29 last year.
The victim told Woods he did not want any trouble, and walked away when the defendant raised his voice and called him a liar.
Seconds later, the defendant walked over and slapped him on the side of the head, knocking him to the floor.
The victim, who was not injured, went outside and called police.
Woods told police afterwards he "smacked" the victim because he was "talking s ... ".
At yesterday’s hearing, the defendant told Judge Walker he should not have struck the victim, but it was a case of "poking the bear".
"You can only poke the bear so much before it rips your head off."
Judge Walker said a pre-sentence report stated the defendant had been under pressure from work, which could have contributed to the offending.
Regardless of what had happened in the past, "any application of force by you is completely unjustified".
Noting the defendant had entered an early guilty plea and had not been in court for 20 years, he convicted him and imposed a $500 fine and $130 in court costs.
Also sentenced by Judge Walker yesterday were.—
■ Dawood Malik (18), labourer, of Sunshine Bay, failing to stop, suspended driving, Lake Esplanade, February 8, Queenstown, fined $300, court costs $260, disqualified eight months.
■ Peta Tusi Tagaloa (23), of Frankton, assault in family relationship, April 2, Queenstown, discharged without conviction.
