Son's tormentor assaulted

A Blenheim father landed a conviction for assault yesterday after confronting his son's teenage bully.

Michael Eric Dobby, 43, admitted assault and was given a six-month suspended sentence when he appeared in the Blenheim District Court.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Steve Frost said the 15-year-old victim had been bullying Dobby's son.

The son came home upset about 1pm on January 27 and told his father the teenager had assaulted him again, at which point Dobby lost his temper, he said.

Dobby found the bully on the top floor of the Marlborough District Library in Blenheim.

The teenager ran toward the lift and closed the doors but Dobby met him downstairs, put him in a headlock and led him outside.

Dobby calmed down and let go after he was stopped by several members of the public, Mr Frost said.

The victim turned around and punched Dobby in the face. Dobby did not hit back and told the teenager to leave his son alone.

Dobby turned himself in to police and said he had intended to take the teenager to the police station to lay an assault complaint against him.

Defence counsel Kent Arnott said the confrontation was the "culmination of not just several months, but several years" of bullying. The incident "got out of hand" but Dobby had a limited criminal history, he said.

Judge Jill Moss said Dobby could not treat another person the way he did. There were "proper systems to deal with problems like these".

"We're never at our best when our children are hurt, are we?" she said.

Dobby shook his head in reply.

- The Marlborough Express Last updated 12:00 22/02/2011