No jail for hammer attack

Two Tauranga men who bashed their work colleague, one using a hammer and the other a baseball bat, have narrowly avoided going to prison.

Miles Robert Brown, 38, and Joshua Anthony Williams, 22, had earlier pleaded guilty to a joint charge of injures with intent to injure and were sentenced in Tauranga District Court yesterday to nine months' supervision and 200 hours' community work.

Brown was also ordered to pay $150 reparation as he took the victim's cellphone following the assault. The attack occurred about 6.30am on December 20, at the trio's Koromiko St workplace.

Brown and Williams saw the victim drive past and followed him into the carpark. After striking the victim with the hammer, Brown pushed the victim backwards and grabbed him around the legs until he fell backwards, smashing his head on the road.

Brown then sat on his victim and punched him in the face once.

Williams then approached the victim with a baseball bat and while the injured man lay unconscious he struck him numerous times to his legs, chest and shoulders.

They were pulled off the victim by work colleagues.

Mr Dixon said the assault was not premeditated and had occurred after an incident involving Williams and the victim at a Christmas work function a few days earlier.

Judge Ingram told Brown and Williams his first reaction was to send them to prison.

But the judge said taking into account mitigating factors, which included their early guilty pleas and remorse, he was satisfied it was not in the best interest of the community to send them to prison.