Men get jail term, detention for assault

A Blenheim man narrowly escaped a prison sentence, but his co-offender was sent to prison for his part in an aggravated assault.

Brendon Daryl Morrell, 30, and Rory Charles Wright, 28, a labourer, appeared in the Blenheim District Court yesterday before Judge Tony Zohrab, facing charges of common assault and assault to injure.

Morrell was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Wright was sentenced to seven months' home detention and 120 hours' community work.

Judge Zohrab said Wright and Morrell entered a Ranui St house, in Picton without permission and assaulted two victims about 1am on September 18.

Both victims were punched and kicked.

One received a black eye and suffered swelling to the head, and the other received a fractured cheek bone.

Morrell's lawyer, Kent Arnott, said Morrell accepted his part in the attack, but he insisted he did not deliver any blows to the victims.

"Mr Morrell found out his brother had been arrested and admits he got angry.

"He has pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and is engaged in alcohol and drug counselling."

Morrell had a partner of 11 years, and four children.

Wright's lawyer, Bryony Millar, said Wright was horrified by his actions that day and had undertaken steps to significantly change his life to prevent any repeat offending.

"He is making efforts to completely change his lifestyle and has even given up smoking," she said.

"Mr Wright is someone who can obviously contribute to the community and his employer is prepared to work around his sentence, because he doesn't want to lose his employee, who is very valuable."

Judge Zohrab said he accepted the pair were grossly intoxicated at the time, but said that did not excuse or mitigate the offending.

"This was effectively a revenge type of attack with two attackers," he said.

"I appreciate each of you had different roles, but it couldn't have happened without you both being part of it, as neither of you would have been bold enough to enter the property by yourselves," Judge Zohrab said.

He took into account Morrell's previous convictions and gave both credit for their guilty pleas.

- The Marlborough Express Last updated 07:19 21/02/2012