'Bully boy' given six months in jail

A Rotorua teenager has been jailed for what a judge has called "bully boy behaviour".

Nathan Brown, 18, pleaded guilty in the Rotorua District Court last week to one charge of receiving a stolen iPhone, one charge of possession of an offensive weapon, namely an extendable baton, and one charge of unlawfully getting into a car. He was sentenced to six months' jail and ordered to pay emotional harm reparation of $200 to the phone's owner.

According to the police summary of facts, on December 24 last year Brown was at a Malfroy Rd bus stop when a person stood up, causing their iPhone 4S worth $1400 to fall onto the seat.

One of Brown's associates grabbed the phone and handed it to Brown who demanded the owner pay him $100 and a packet of cigarettes to get it back.

Judge Maree Mackenzie said she was amazed by the incident.

"I must say it is nothing but bully boy behaviour."

The baton incident happened at the Pukuatua St bus stop on October 31 last year.

Brown was opening and closing and waving around the baton, which he had bought the day before. A member of the public called police.

Brown's lawyer on that charge, Rob Vigor-Brown, said Brown was a "good young man" who seemed to have got on the wrong track.

Mr Vigor-Brown questioned why Rotorua shops sold the batons, which he said were prima facie offensive weapons.

"It shouldn't have been sold to him in the first place," he said.

Judge Mackenzie said while that was "interesting logic" the better question was why Brown bought it.

The judge noted Brown had been in custody since December so the sentence would in effect be time served, or close to it. She also made an order for destruction of the baton.