A Seddon man has been sentenced to 10 months in prison for assaulting a woman and threatening to kill a police constable.
The charges came after what police claim was a gang gathering in Seddon on January 9, after which Kevin Richard Ngawhare, 39, got into a fight, the Blenheim District Court heard yesterday.
He pleaded guilty to charges of threatening to kill a police constable, assaulting a female and disorderly behaviour.
Defence counsel Gary Sawyer said Ngawhare denied the gathering was gang related, though gang members were present.
He said Ngawhare had a history with gangs, but left his gang last year.
But police prosecutor Sergeant Graham Single said the gang affiliation at the gathering was "quite clear".
Mr Sawyer said a young man who had spread a rumour around Seddon that Ngawhare was going to "beat someone up" arrived at the gathering on January 9.
Ngawhare decided to confront the young man, but the man left.
Frustrated and drunk, Ngawhare later fought with his partner and she was arrested for assault. During the incident, said Mr Sawyer, Ngawhare punched another woman once in the head, but Mr Single said photographs of the woman's injuries showed she had been struck multiple times.
Mr Single said Ngawhare's partner was also involved in the attack.
Mr Sawyer said Ngawhare claimed he saw police drag his partner over the floor by her hair, so he threatened the officer.
Mr Single also denied that claim.
Judge Tony Zohrab said Ngawhare told the constable he would find out where he lived and shoot him, not caring if he went to prison.
Mr Sawyer said Ngawhare was trying to rebuild his life and asked for a community-based sentence.
However, Judge Zohrab said the court had tried to help Ngawhare for many years and it was time he stopped living "a life of crime".
He sentenced him to eight months' prison for assaulting a female, two months for threatening to kill and convicted and discharged him for disorderly behaviour.
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