An apprentice electrician who punched a DJ while on supervision for previous offending got "caught up in the moment" while out drinking, his lawyer says.
Alexander William Tarbotton, 30, was at a central Queenstown bar about 3.30am on July 2 when he began shouting at the DJ, then punched him in the face.
Restrained by other patrons and ejected, he was arrested in Camp St a short time later, but told police he "didn’t do anything".
Counsel Annaliese Carlaw said the defendant had gone out to see his boss make his debut as a DJ at another bar, and "felt he had to participate" in the drinking.
Once he began drinking, he tended to over-indulge, Ms Carlaw said.
The incident had been a "wake-up call" for the defendant, who was willing to undergo alcohol counselling.
At Tarbotton’s sentencing in the Queenstown District Court on Monday, Judge Russell Walker said it was his third conviction in the past 18 months, with one for serious assault early last year and another for disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence in February.
Had police laid a higher-level assault charge, the defendant would be facing a prison sentence, Judge Walker said.
He replaced the defendant’s existing sentence with a new term of nine months’ supervision, and imposed 40 hours’ community work.
Tarbotton must also pay the victim $400 reparation for emotional harm.
