Community work for threat with chainsaw

An Oamaru man who took the law into his own hands by welding a chainsaw in a threatening manner was sentenced in the Oamaru District Court yesterday.

Karl Daniel James Cunningham, 27, forestry worker, of Oamaru, was convicted and sentenced to 70 hours' community work for holding a chainsaw showing intent to use it to commit an offence involving fear and violence.

At 4.10am on January 6, Cunningham pulled up at a Lune St address, looking for an occupant who had thrown a bottle at the vehicle he was travelling in earlier that night.

Cunningham yelled to the occupant to come out. When he did not, Cunningham removed a chainsaw from the boot of the car and continued to ask the occupant to come out. The occupant's mother revealed herself and asked Cunningham to leave.

When the person did not come out of the house, Cunningham put the chainsaw back in the boot and left.

Defence counsel Michael de Buyzer said the incident was fuelled by a rush of blood to the head and nothing sinister resulted.

Judge Joanna Maze said Cunningham behaved in a manner frightening to the victim and should not have taken the law into his own hands.

COURT LIST

Violence

Jamie Duncan Leigh, 20, dairy worker, of Oamaru, was convicted and sentenced to 40 hours' community work for assaulting Patrick Greaney, a police constable acting in the execution of his duty. On December 22, 2012, Leigh slammed the officer's leg in the door of his car, after having been pulled over and found to be driving while forbidden on a learner's licence. Judge Maze said there were no injuries and Leigh had expressed remorse for his actions.

Rikki David Anderson, 22, unemployed, of Oamaru, was convicted, sentenced to six months' supervision and ordered to complete drug and alcohol counselling for assaulting Stacy Ray Hendersen on November 24, 2012.

Driving offences

Anthony Graham Craig Edge, 20, farm worker, of Oamaru was convicted and disqualified from driving for six months for driving while disqualified on Colne St on November 30, 2012.

Christopher Charles Rogers, 24, farm worker, of Georgetown, was convicted, sentenced to 80 hours' community work and disqualified from driving for 12 months for driving while disqualified on Weston's Main St on November 15, 2012. It was Rogers' third driving while disqualified conviction.

Jesse Marc Brown Lewthwaite, 21, unemployed, of Oamaru, was convicted, sentenced to 40 hours' community work and disqualified from driving for six months for driving while suspended on Tyne St on December 21, 2012.

Theft

Cheyne Michael Fox, 22, unemployed, of Oamaru, was convicted, sentenced to 60 hours' community work and ordered to pay $150 in reparation costs for stealing a refrigerator from his landlord between June 1, 2011 and November 30, 2011.

Joseph Walter Uden, 23, painter, of Oamaru, was convicted, sentenced to 80 hours' community work (to be served concurrently) and ordered to pay $25 in reparation costs for stealing a pair of socks (valued at $10) from The Warehouse on December 4, 2012, and stealing the Oamaru Heritage Radio honesty box and cash (valued at $70) on January 8.

Drink driving

Philip Logan Stewart, 23, employed, of Omarama was convicted, fined $350, disqualified from driving for six months for driving on State Highway 8 with an excess breath alcohol level of 635mcg on December 22, 2012. Judge Maze also ordered the confiscation of his vehicle.

Angela Leigh Bain, 23, freezing worker, of Oamaru, was convicted, sentenced to six months' supervision and disqualified from driving for six months for driving with an excess breath alcohol level of 1060mcg on December 21, 2012. Bain was driving along McNamara's Rd in Waimate when she lost control of her car and crashed into a bank. On a charge of careless driving, she was convicted and discharged.

Tanya Starr Crichton, 48, dairy hand, of Makikihi, was convicted, fined $450 and disqualified from driving for six months for driving on Wansbeck St with an excess breath alcohol level of 707mcg on November 30, 2012. Judge Maze said Crichton attracted the attention of police by drinking while driving.

Stephen Wayne McLachlan, 24, farmer, of Wanaka, was convicted, fined $450 and disqualified from driving for six months for driving with an excess breath alcohol level of 756mcg on Omarama Ave on December 29, 2012.

Intentional damage

Phillip Andrew Knauf, 41, mine worker, of Oamaru was convicted and ordered to pay $725.75 reparation costs for intentionally damaging Waitaki District Council public toilets between May 21 and May 22, 2012.

Anthony James Cotton, 20, slaughterer, of Oamaru, was jointly charged with Knauf for intentionally damaging the public toilets.

He was convicted and ordered to pay $725.75 in reparation costs and $300 to a person who was defamed by the marks written on the toilet blocks by Cotton and Knauf.

Peter John Waldron, 18, painter, of Oamaru, was convicted and fined $300 for intentionally damaging windows by throwing bottles at them on November 24, 2012.

Other charges

Samual Douglas Allen Grooby, 20, sharemilker, of Morven, was convicted and fined $250 for possessing a .22 calibre rifle without a licence on September 15, 2012.

Judge Maze also ordered the destruction of the rifle.

Shane Damian Welsh, 18, unemployed, of Kakanui, was convicted and sentenced to 60 hours' community work for entering a building, namely an implements shed on a rural property, without authority and with intent to commit a crime.