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New Zealand Police v Hancock [2018] NZDC 20549

Published 03 July 2019

Sentencing — assault — assault with intent to injure — injuring with intent to injure — threatening conduct with intent to intimidate. The defendant appeared for sentence for three charges of assault, one of injuring with intent to injure, one of assault with intent to injure, and one of threatening conduct with intent to intimidate. The charges arose from three incidents. In the first, the defendant became intoxicated and violent at a gathering with friends, punching two of them, pushing another, and damaging a door and a window. Several days later, after the defendant was arrested for these assaults, he licked and attempted to bite one of the officers. Finally, while in prison, he joined in a group attack on a person, kicking and punching the victim several times. The start point for sentence was 56 months' imprisonment, which the Court then uplifted by six months for the defendant's prior convictions. The Court then reduced the sentence by 25 percent for guilty plea. The final sentence was three years six months' imprisonment. Judgment Date: 25 September 2018.