May 24, 2010

Youth admits smashing spree outside hospital

A 19-year-old went on a rampage after being assessed at Christchurch?s Hillmorton Hospital, which handles mental health care.

A pre-sentence report detailing the damage will be prepared before Jesse Anthony Yagodzenski is sentenced on July 27, but the Christchurch District Court was told today that the damage was ?substantial? after the incident 11 days ago.

Judge Stephen Erber remanded Yagodzenski on bail for sentence after the youth pleaded guilty to one charge of disorderly behaviour and eight charges of intentional damage.

Yagodzenski was allowed to leave the hospital but initially refused, police prosecutor Sergeant Mark Berryman told the court.

He then joined friends outside where several bottles were thrown over a fence into a yard.

Hospital staff called the police.

Yagodzenski then ripped a rear spoiler from a car, smashed a car window with a bottle, walked over two cars denting their roofs, kicked a carboot causing another dent, and knocked the wing mirrors off another car.

He then threw rocks at passing motorists and threw one through the window of a house.

Police have not yet totalled the amount of damage.