A Milton man drove two hours to his former employer's home over a wage dispute, smashed windows and deliberately ran the victim down as he left, a court has heard.
Byron William Howard appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday having pleaded guilty to charges of intentional damage, possessing a weapon, dangerous driving causing injury and failing to stop to ascertain injury.
The acceptance came only days before his trial was due to start, the court heard.
Howard worked at the victim's Tapanui business until mid-2016, when it became plagued by financial issues.
The employer - whose name was suppressed by Judge Michael Crosbie - told the defendant it was best he look for another job.
He did not believe there was any great animosity between them, he said.
The man gave an emotional victim impact statement, which detailed the ordeal that saw his business eventually go under.
He spent time in a psychiatric unit in the lead-up to the crime.
He and his family moved into his mother-in-law's crib in Cromwell, while Howard relocated to Milton.
But, on the evening of July 13 last year, the defendant got in his car and headed for Central Otago.
When he reached his ex-employer's home, he demanded money he believed was owed to him. The victim advised him he should leave and that he did not want to argue.
Howard yelled abuse and went back to his car, but he was not willing to make the two-hour drive home without leaving his mark.
He retrieved a large crowbar from the vehicle and began smashing the windows of the house.
''I was terrified,'' the victim said.
Glass was propelled ''10-15 feet'' into the house, Judge Crosbie said.
Despite being barefoot, the victim ran across the broken shards and out of the house to film Howard as he drove away.
The defendant intentionally drove towards the man - at 30kmh - hitting and throwing him on to the bonnet.
He slid to the ground and Howard drove off.
Police stopped him on the way home in Alexandra, and while he admitted smashing the windows, he said he tried to swerve to avoid the victim.
In his statement, the defendant's former boss said the ordeal had had a massive impact on his family's lives.
And he had still not had all the glass removed from his feet.
''I'm finding it harder and harder to remember what normal is,'' the victim said.
The judge said what differentiated the case from many others was the level of hostility exhibited by Howard.
''There is a real element of cruelty to this,'' he said. ''This is a major incident of rage.''
Defence counsel Andrew More said his client had only driven to Cromwell to talk and the crowbar had been in the vehicle with other tools Howard used for work.
But Judge Crosbie said home detention would not suffice.
Howard was jailed for two years and banned from driving for four years.
The court also ordered he pay for the damage he caused and $2000 for the emotional harm caused to the victim.
