Graham Gallaghan had been a police constable for only 18 months when he was kicked unconscious by a drunken partygoer. The experience forced the 34-year-old to quit his job.
Mr Gallaghan was attacked by Joshua Mohetaue while helping Constable Ewen Cumming arrest a man at a Tirirau Rd party in Dargaville on Christmas Day 2012. He was repeatedly kicked in the head while he lay on the ground.
Mr Cumming had been assaulted by another group that included Alissa Gooding, Mohetau's partner. Gooding (2 years) and Stewart Tahere (13 months) have already been jailed for their part in the attack.
Both officers were lucky Dargaville firefighters intervened and protected them until more police help arrived.
Mohetaue, 30, was yesterday jailed for five years after a Whangarei District Court jury had found him guilty of injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
He had also admitted aggravated assault.
Mr Gallaghan told the court he had resigned in September 2013 for the sake of his family and his failing health as a result of a brain injury from the assault.
The injury resulted in headaches, dizziness and sensitivity to light and sound.
Mr Cumming told the court he thought his colleague had been killed and his feeling of helplessness and distress could not be adequately described.
"I should be able to go to my job without being attacked by a pack of animals," Mr Cumming said.
Mohetaue wrote letters of apology to both officers, saying he was deeply sorry for an incident that should never have happened.
Judge John McDonald said it was only through good luck and fortune Mr Gallaghan was not more seriously injured.
"Sadly, some sections in society think it's fair to attack them [police]. It's not. They are publicly-minded people who take public safety seriously," Judge McDonald said.
Northland police have since changed processes around staff callouts and better rostering of officers in Dargaville to attend to reports at peak times
Northland police District Commander Superintendent Russell Le Prou said while one assault on his officers was one too many, the Dargaville attack was a rare event.
A review had led to changes including improved rostering.
"We have the ability to call out other staff that are local in the area if needed at anytime and we can also call on staff in Whangarei to assist as incidents are developing," he said.