Filthy Few crowbar attack victim: I'm the one serving a life sentence

Tony Sowry is living a life sentence after a brutal home invasion attack in 2013. Photo/John Borren.

Tony Sowry says the Filthy Few member who brutally attacked him with a crowbar will get out of jail in a few years -- but he's the one serving a life sentence.

Mr Sowry, aged in his 50s, was so badly beaten during a home invasion in 2013 by Takatu Ahomiro that surgeons had to rebuild half of the right side of his face.

His right eye had to be surgically removed and the vision in his left eye is still not 100 per cent. He also suffered skull fractures.

Ahomiro, 42, of Te Puke, was found guilty of four charges on Thursday after a second jury trial in the Tauranga District Court.

The charges were one each of aggravated burglary, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, injuring with intent to injure and threatening to kill.

Judge Christopher Harding resentenced and jailed Ahomiro for 12 years with a minimum eight-year non-parole period.

The latter two charges related to injuries suffered by Mr Sowry's son, who was beaten and kicked by one or more of the four masked men as he tried to flee the address. His injuries included facial cuts requiring stitches and chipped teeth, the court heard.

It was the second trial for Ahomiro after his convictions were earlier quashed on appeal.

Mr Sowry spoke to the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend after the court case, pointing to a crowbar-tooth shaped scar above his left eyebrow.

"See that scar. The doctors told me I could have easily lost my left eye too, and I also had eight teeth knocked out during the attack," he said.

Diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, Mr Sowry said he still had flashbacks about the night Ahomiro and his three masked accomplices attacked, intent on violence and robbing him and his son of possessions.

The emotional scars will also be with him for life, he said.

Some of his normal emotions had been "ripped out of him" during the unprovoked brutal attack.

"Sometimes I don't know how I really feel about what happened that night, and what I have gone through in the past three to four years, but I'm serving a life sentence."

Now having to survive on ACC payments, Mr Sowry's said his life would never be the same.

"I used to like to restore cars and now it's a real struggle to do that and lots of other things, and if I try to do something it can often take me four times as long.''

He now relies on carers for some daily tasks and drivers for long distances.

Mr Sowry was a plumber for eight years before the attack but can no longer do this
because of his eye problems.

He remains under the care of psychologists, and needs to have fillers replaced around his right eye-socket to support his artificial eye every 12 to 18 months.

Mr Sowry is still haunted by the attack and was relieved the jury found Ahomiro guilty a second time.

"In the end, Ahomiro hung himself by his own actions and deeds.''

Despite having to go through the ordeal of a second trial, Mr Sowry said he was determined to give evidence and ensure Ahomiro was brought to justice.

"People need to speak up and turn up to court to give evidence and not let these people get away with it."

In court, the Crown argued a series of circumstantial evidence, including text messages and a letter written by Ahomiro from prison proved he was the "crowbar" attacker.

The offenders stole several possessions, including several TVs and three vehicles.

In 2015, one of Ahomiro's co-offenders, Tama Waitai, was sentenced to 10 years, 9 months' prison and must serve a minimum non-parole period of five years, three months.

Jay Beguely was sentenced to 10 years, six months' jail with a minimum five years, three months non-parole , and Carl Tremayne to 10 years' prison, with 5-years non-parole.