Man jailed for ‘stalking behaviour’
A man was told that his obsessive, controlling, stalking behaviour would not be tolerated by the Christchurch District Court before he was sentenced to 18 months prison.
Dennis William Fishburn, 27, was sentenced for assaulting a man with a pole, and setting fire to a car, on the West Coast.
Judge Raoul Neave said Fishburn had an appalling record for violent offending and he would not be granted a home detention sentence even if it was recommended, but would go to prison.
Defence counsel David Bunce said Fishburn had written an apology letter to the victim of the offending, and he did try to put the fire out in the car after setting it alight so there was not huge damage.
Judge Neave said the man offended while he was under a police safety order, and when the people at the address came outside because the car was on fire, Fishburn hit one on the head with a pole. The man had to have three stitches in the back of his head, and had headaches.
Fishburn had 15 previous convictions, including assaults, willful damage, and arson, Judge Neave said.
He acknowledged that Fishburn had started counselling, but he was assessed as a high risk for further offending without help.
He said Fishburn’s obsessive, controlling, stalking behaviour would not be tolerated by the court and sentenced him to prison, and reparation of $500 to be paid for the burnt car.
Category: Focus
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