Fight with father ends in conviction

A bout of "inappropriate fisticuffs" earned a young man an assault conviction against his father this week.

Israel Joshua Tutaki got into a fight with his father, Whanganui District Court heard.

"This is clearly a situation where they got sick of each other and that led to inappropriate fisticuffs, and now they're appearing before the court," defence lawyer Stephen Ross said.

Mr Ross said Tutaki grabbed his father by the shirt and his father punched him.

The father was also due in court but did not appear when his name was called.

"This defendant bore the brunt of it in the end."

Tutaki pleaded guilty to common assault.

Judge Dugald Matheson ordered him to come up for sentence if called upon within six months.