January 08, 2013

Supervision for sword threat

By Anne Clarkson at Nga Hau e Wha marae

A 19-year-old has been put on supervision after threatening his mother by holding a Samurai sword to her throat.

Cameron Stuart Fergus, of Northwood, was sentenced on a charge of threatening behaviour and another charge of drunk driving, in the Christchurch District Court held at Nga Hau e Wha marae today.

He was originally charged with threatening to kill his mother, and assault with a weapon, but police withdrew those charges when he admitted the charge of threatening behaviour at an earlier court session.

Police prosecutor David Rusbatch said on December 9 Fergus was driving drunk, and drove through a deer fence into a paddock.

Defence counsel Andrew Bailey said when the sword incident occurred Fergus was at a low point in terms of his mental health and his alcohol addiction.

He said Fergus had been referred to an alcohol rehabilitation programme which was going to start shortly.

Fergus had work and had been bailed to his mother?s house while on remand, without further incident, he said.

Judge Alistair Garland said Fergus got involved in an argument with his mother while he was grossly intoxicated. He wielded a sword and threatened her with it.

A report from his doctor said he had an alcohol addiction problem which needed to be addressed urgently.

Judge Garland said Fergus had a serious accident when he had a breath-alcohol reading of 518mcg of alcohol to a litre of breath. He went through a deer fence and caused more than $3300 damage, but he had already paid the reparation for the fence.

He sentenced Fergus to 12 months supervision with a condition to undertake an assessment and attend counselling and?treatment ? including residential treatment ? as directed by his probation officer.

He disqualified Fergus for six months for his drink-driving, and fined him $500.