A Dunedin man has sought rehabilitation after threatening to rape and kill police officers.
Hayden Wayne Josephs, 30, appeared in the Dunedin District Court this week after an incident outside Farmers department store left him pepper sprayed, restrained and hauled to the Dunedin police station.
At 5.50pm on August 7 one of Josephs’ associates was arrested on an unrelated matter.
The defendant pushed one of the officers and adopted a "fighting stance", the court heard.
"I will fight you", he said before swinging his body around and pushing against one of the officers.
While in police custody the man repetitively shouted at officers: "I will kill you" and "I will rape you".
Judge David Robinson acknowledged the man had underlying substance-abuse issues which he had since sought assistance with, but he could not look past his abusive behaviour towards police.
"The emotional harm that arises from this sort of thing is self-evident," he said. Josephs was convicted of obstructing police, speaking threateningly and assaulting police.
He was sentenced to 100 hours’ community work and 12 months’ supervision.
