Supporters of a woman injured at her birthday party after gatecrashers started a brawl have hurled abuse at one of the men involved.
Te Rimu Papa Kara Hawkins, 19, was sentenced to three months' home detention today after he had earlier pleaded guilty in the Hastings District Court to unlawful assembly at a 21st birthday on August 25 at Moteo Marae.
He reappeared today, represented by defence counsel Peter Austin and appeared in front of Judge Bridget Mackintosh .
Due to the brawl, a group of party guests received serious injuries, including the birthday girl herself, who received multiple head wounds, concussion, a punctured lung and broken ribs.
The fighting had started after at least 10 Mongrel Mob gang affiliates turned up uninvited at the birthday party at the marae on August 25.
During the celebration, 50 to 60 guests were expected for a sit-down dinner and, although some were Black Power affiliates, it was not a gang function.
As Hawkins entered the court room, a supporter of a victim began to shout abuse at him before the man was silenced by the judge.
A victim impact statement was read by a social worker - on behalf of a victim - as Hawkins stood silently, guarded by two police officers. The victim said she had taken 15 weeks off work and was still "mentally preparing" to go back.
"The defendant is unknown to me, we are no relation to each other. He turned up unannounced and uninvited.
"Do you remember your 21st Mr Hawkins? I never want to remember mine."
Austin told the judge that Hawkins was now in paid employment thinning apples and said the victim impact statement had been read to him before today. "It had a deep effect on him, he expressed remorse," he said.
Judge Mackintosh addressed Hawkins saying that although he was part of a group of people involved in the attack a number of serious assaults occurred.
"We're so lucky nobody was killed, they should be ashamed of the way they behaved," she said.
"It could have been up to seven to eight years imprisonment if someone had been pinpointed for this - so it's very serious.
"In life you can go in two directions, you've been going one way but you need to go the other."
As Hawkins was escorted out of the room, a man hurled abuse at him before the family was asked to leave by the judge.
A second man involved, Tama Hawkins , received a sentence of 80 hours' community work at the Hastings District Court in November.
A third man, Jeffery Morunga , is due to be sentenced on January 30, 2019.
All three were charged with unlawful assembly, and had more serious charges dropped after police said they lacked evidence to prove who had committed acts of violence on the night.