Hastings bottle store punch-up: Man jailed for injuring staff in attempt to steal whisky

Brendan Healey tried to steal a bottle of Johnny Walker whisky from the Hastings Bottle-O store in June, and punched staff members who confronted him. Photo / NZME

A man who punched three bottle shop staff, including a woman, during a botched attempt to steal a bottle of whisky has been sent to prison.

One of the shop workers briefly lost consciousness and required nine staples to a cut on his head after falling against a cabinet when the Bottle-O store in Hastings was robbed in June.

The store manager, who received multiple punches to the head and neck, suffered bruising to his eye and jaw, leaving him with difficulty eating for weeks.

Another staff member was punched twice when she tried to step between her manager and the assailant, Brendan Healey.

She suffered a sore and swollen face but did not require medical treatment.

Healey, 42, appeared for sentencing in the Hastings District Court for the bottle store offending and family violence.

The court heard that around 5pm on June 12, he drove two female associates to the Bottle-O store. While the women distracted the staff, he put a bottle of Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky under his shirt and tucked it into his waistband.

He was confronted by the manager, and responded violently.

In the resulting affray, Healey left and returned to the store twice – the first time to get his female associates, who were being blocked from leaving by staff, and the second to retrieve his car keys, which he had dropped.

Each time, he lashed out at the store workers.

For the bottle shop violence, Healey was charged with injuring and assault with intent to injure, common assault, male assaults female and shoplifting

He was also charged with wilful damage, injuring with intent, resisting police, failing to stop, driving with excess breath alcohol and breaching home detention, all in connection with a family violence incidence in August.

Judge Russell Collins said on that day, Healey struck his partner three times with the back of his hand, knocked a door off its rollers when she shut herself in a room, and smashed her phone after she tried to call police. Children were present.

Healey drove off and, when stopped by police a short time later, reversed his vehicle into the police car. He was pepper-sprayed through a car window.

At the time he was on home detention for earlier offending and on bail for the bottle store incident.

Judge Collins said Healey’s criminal record began with a common assault in New Zealand 24 years ago and included jail time in Australia, where he was convicted of recklessly causing injury and robbery.

He jailed Healey for a total of three years for the lead charge of assault in the bottle shop incident and for injuring with intent in the family violence.

Healey received lesser, concurrent sentences on the other charges and his partner was granted a protection order.

Judge Collins allowed a sentence discount for Healey’s guilty pleas, but not for his statement of remorse.

“I don’t believe you are objectively remorseful at all,” the judge said.