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Assault by deaf league player `rattled my brain' - Taranaki Daily News: local, national & world news from Taranaki's daily newspaper
Carl Jones didn't know who had hit him or with what - but knew he had been hit hard.
"I got a white sheet of flash when I was hit. It rattled my brain," Mr Jones told the New Plymouth District Court yesterday.
Profoundly deaf Wiremu Albert Raana (23) appeared before Judge Robert Murfitt for a defended hearing on a charge of assault with intent to injure.
Two Deaf Association of New Zealand interpreters were in court to help the former Taranaki rugby league representative.
Mr Jones told the court he had gone to Waitara's Masonic Hotel just after 10pm on December 26, to pick up his wife. He had met Raana on several occasions previously.
He said Raana was harassing a barmaid and it appeared he wanted her to go out the back with him.
Mr Jones said he told the barmaid to call the police, and that she didn't have to put up with it, before attempting to leave the bar.
"I was walking out the door when I was hit."
The force of the blow knocked out a tooth, smashed another tooth and split his lip, which left Mr Jones living on a liquid diet for the next few weeks.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Barry Henderson, Mr Jones admitted he had teeth missing before the blow.
Barmaid Nerida Hunt-Howe said she saw Raana hit Mr Jones. "I remember thinking, `If that's what his left hand is like, what is his right hand like?' I've never seen the strength of a punch like that."
Raana told Mr Henderson he had not been at the Masonic that night. But under cross-examination by police prosecutor Sergeant Lewis Sutton, he admitted he was.
Judge Murfitt said the police had failed to show intent, and instead convicted Raana of common assault.
"It was a single blow from one adult male to another, without a weapon and without evidence of particular intent to hurt anybody."
After the hearing, Raana pleaded guilty to three charges of assaulting prison guards on January 20.
Mr Sutton withdrew a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and laid one of aggravated assault and amended a charge of assaulting a female to assault.
Raana flicked a female prison guard in the eye with a towel as he was being taken back to his cell. As a senior guard was leaving Raana's cell, following the assault, he was attacked.
"As he had his head facing downwards, the defendant punched him in the side of the face, and at the same time pushing the door, also hitting the victim in the face."
The guard received a broken eye socket and cheekbone which required surgery. Raana also punched another guard in the face, knocking his glasses off.
Judge Murfitt remanded Raana in custody for sentencing on June 11.
What a prince he is!
Carl Jones didn't know who had hit him or with what - but knew he had been hit hard.
"I got a white sheet of flash when I was hit. It rattled my brain," Mr Jones told the New Plymouth District Court yesterday.
Profoundly deaf Wiremu Albert Raana (23) appeared before Judge Robert Murfitt for a defended hearing on a charge of assault with intent to injure.
Two Deaf Association of New Zealand interpreters were in court to help the former Taranaki rugby league representative.
Mr Jones told the court he had gone to Waitara's Masonic Hotel just after 10pm on December 26, to pick up his wife. He had met Raana on several occasions previously.
He said Raana was harassing a barmaid and it appeared he wanted her to go out the back with him.
Mr Jones said he told the barmaid to call the police, and that she didn't have to put up with it, before attempting to leave the bar.
"I was walking out the door when I was hit."
The force of the blow knocked out a tooth, smashed another tooth and split his lip, which left Mr Jones living on a liquid diet for the next few weeks.
Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Barry Henderson, Mr Jones admitted he had teeth missing before the blow.
Barmaid Nerida Hunt-Howe said she saw Raana hit Mr Jones. "I remember thinking, `If that's what his left hand is like, what is his right hand like?' I've never seen the strength of a punch like that."
Raana told Mr Henderson he had not been at the Masonic that night. But under cross-examination by police prosecutor Sergeant Lewis Sutton, he admitted he was.
Judge Murfitt said the police had failed to show intent, and instead convicted Raana of common assault.
"It was a single blow from one adult male to another, without a weapon and without evidence of particular intent to hurt anybody."
After the hearing, Raana pleaded guilty to three charges of assaulting prison guards on January 20.
Mr Sutton withdrew a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and laid one of aggravated assault and amended a charge of assaulting a female to assault.
Raana flicked a female prison guard in the eye with a towel as he was being taken back to his cell. As a senior guard was leaving Raana's cell, following the assault, he was attacked.
"As he had his head facing downwards, the defendant punched him in the side of the face, and at the same time pushing the door, also hitting the victim in the face."
The guard received a broken eye socket and cheekbone which required surgery. Raana also punched another guard in the face, knocking his glasses off.
Judge Murfitt remanded Raana in custody for sentencing on June 11.
What a prince he is!