A judge has called the vigilante actions of a small Southland community appalling and is hoping police will investigate a car-ramming incident which is alleged by a convicted man.
The man, who has been granted name suppression after being "driven out of town", appeared on Tuesday before Judge Duncan Harvey in the Invercargill District Court for sentencing on two charges of threatening behaviour and two charges of possession of a weapon.
The summary of facts said on November 15 last year volunteer firefighters witnessed the man doing doughnuts in his car on the Tuatapere Domain at the time they were training.
They tried to take a photograph.
"This agitated the defendant, who grabbed a machete-type weapon from inside his vehicle and told the firemen he was going to count to 10," the summary states.
Fearing for their safety the firefighters backed off.
They also moved the fire truck which they had parked across the domain entrance to prevent the defendant from leaving.
About 2.15am the next day, the defendant, wearing a balaclava and armed with a baseball bat and large knife, went to the house of one of the senior firefighters.
The firefighter, hearing shouting from outside, went to talk to him.
"The defendant entered the victim’s front yard and waved the baseball bat around."
Another family member came outside and told the defendant to leave — he did.
After he was arrested the man told police he was giving his girlfriend driving lessons and never performed any skids on the domain.
He admitted presenting the machete at the two firefighters but said he thought they were coming to attack him.
He went to the firefighter’s house later that night, after drinking alcohol, to try to retrieve photographic evidence.
At sentencing yesterday, the man’s lawyer John Fraser said the man had experienced "difficulties" since the incident.
"Effectively he’s been driven out of Tuatapere.
"In fact there are investigations at the moment regarding a car which deliberately rammed at him," Mr Fraser said.
The man had a large scar on his head and face from the accident.
He had since moved from Tuatapere and was seeking employment.
Judge Harvey said the reaction the community had to the man’s offending showed how territorial small communities could be.
"You have clearly suffered personally because of this offending."
"I certainly hope they do investigate because that type of vigilante behaviour is just appalling."
Judge Harvey said the man had lost his temper that day and it was clear he needed assistance.
He sentenced him to 12 months’ supervision and granted him name suppression as he had "suffered enough".
An order was made for destruction of the baseball bat.
The knife was never located.
Police confirmed yesterday they were making inquiries into the traffic incident.
They were unable to provide any further details.
