Jeram Stuart Jeffrey Uren, 25, appeared in the Dunedin District Court yesterday after admitting a charge of assault with intent to injure.
Judge Dominic Flatley called the attack "vile".
"It’s 2024, Mr Uren, we don’t live like that. It’s appalling offending behaviour."
On July 6, the victim, who had lived in New Zealand for nearly 30 years, was unpacking a moving van with his son, having recently moved to Kaitangata.
Uren walked past the address and launched into a racist tirade.
"Go back to the Philippines, don’t move here. F... off," he yelled.
Uren walked away but returned as a passenger in a vehicle shortly afterwards.
"The defendant jumped out of the car and approached the victim and ... [coward-punched] him once to the head with a closed fist," a police summary said.
The victim’s son grabbed a metal bar and Uren returned to the car in which he had arrived.
In a subsequent interview with Probation, the defendant said he had no recollection of the attack but did not consider himself a racist.
"This wasn’t a one-off reaction," Judge Flatley said.
"You went away, thought about it and went back."
Uren, who appeared emotional in the dock, said he was concerned about being imprisoned and separated from his son.
The judge had a stern warning about how his conduct might affect his child.
"If he grows up seeing his dad in court, in the dock, maybe going to prison, he’s going to think that’s completely normal and he’ll grow up thinking he can behave in that way," he said.
The court heard Uren had engaged with an addiction specialist and had not consumed alcohol since the incident.
He met the victim for a restorative-justice conference and paid for the physio sessions the man had attended in the aftermath.
"It’s hard to believe that man was prepared to come and talk to you and accept your apology," Judge Flatley said.
The victim told his attacker: "it’s time to put it in the past and just get on and live peacefully."
Uren was sentenced to six months’ community detention, 200 hours’ community work and 12 months’ intensive supervision.
"This is your last chance," the judge said.
