Man told to keep out of police business
A 20-year-old has been told to mind his own business when the police are going about theirs — and jailed for 10 months.
Perenura Hurinui reacted violently when the police were arresting his brother during a fracas that took place outside a child’s six-year-old birthday party in Carnarvon Street, Linwood, in November.
Hurinui is now serving a nine-month two-week jail sentence for other violent offending including a charge of resisting the police.
That term was imposed and February, and after his guilty pleas this week to charges of assaulting a policeman with intent to injure and disorderly behaviour causing violence to continue, another 10 months was added to the existing term.
Christchurch District Court Judge David Saunders noted Hurinui had convictions for breaches of community based sentences and hostility to the police.
He told him: “You need to get it very clearly into your head that our system requires the police to be the primary people who investigate crime and deal with issues of disorder in the community. You are not at liberty to strike out at police officers because you disagree with the way they are handling family members and others.”
Hurinui had approached a policeman from the side, caught him unawares and punched him in the head several times, knocking him unconscious for several minutes and putting him in hospital.
There was an established process available if he had complaints against the police, the judge told him.
He told Hurinui he would be required to continue with programmes and treatment after his release from prison.
Defence counsel Kiran Paima said Hurinui regretted his actions and the impact on the victim. He said the original fracas had not involved Hurinui and his actions had been “reactive”.
“The real tragedy of the day for all parties concerned is how something as innocent as a birthday party for a young child could descend into what could fairly be described as the chaotic scene that followed.”
He said Hurinui had the support and motivation to change his behaviour after his release. His jailing had meant he missed the birth of his second child.
Category: News
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