Actor admits Jake the Muss-style biff

By Keith Perry and NZPA

Once Were Warriors star Temuera Morrison has admitted a Jake the Muss-style assault on a teenager in a late-night confrontation.

The actor rammed the teen's head against a fencepost after confronting a group of youths who had set fire to a real estate sign outside his house on the North Shore.

But it later emerged that he had assaulted the wrong person - a youth who did not even know the fire had been lit.

Sam Sweetman, aged 17, of Devonport, said: "I've never had a fight in my life - then I have Jake the Muss staring into my face in the middle of the night."

Morrison, 39, who has spoken out against violence since starring as abusive husband Jake "the Muss" Heke in the film and its sequel What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?, appeared in the North Shore District Court on February 8.

Under the diversion scheme for first offenders no conviction was entered and he was given interim name suppression, which has since lapsed.

Morrison paid Mr Sweetman $100 to cover his medical bills, and gave $200 to the Devonport kindergarten where the youth's mother works. But Mr Sweetman and his parents say the actor got off lightly.

"You can pay $300 for not having your car registered," said father Maurice Sweetman.

His wife, Trish, added: "Morrison behaved like Jake the Muss and should have got a more severe penalty. He wasn't even very apologetic."

In Australia last week to promote Broken Hearted, Morrison said it would be nice to affect "all the Jake Hekes who see the film in such a way that they're going to go and enlist in anger management or Alcoholics Anonymous."

The actor, a former entertainer of the year and star of Hollywood films Speed 2 and Barb Wire, told the Sunday News he was just defending his property. He said his girlfriend, actor Angela Dotchin, and his 7-year-old son James were sleeping in the house at the time.

"I heard someone outside interfering with my Jeep. I went outside and the sign was ablaze.

"I put it out with my bare hands just before it set fire to the tree overhanging the house.

"There was a group of about eight teenage guys and three girls," said Morrison.

"I yelled at them. One of them called back: 'Come on, then. I've got a knife - I'll cut you up.'

"I grabbed the keys to my Jeep and chased them through the streets. I shouted for them to stop because I wanted to talk to them.

"I caught one of them and there was a struggle and I biffed him around the head."

Morrison said he was sorry the event took place.

"I don't like violence at all but I was defending my property and these guys went too far."