The president of an Auckland motorcycle gang chapter has been sentenced to eight months home detention for his role in a downtown New Year's Day fracas.
Mace Raymond Sitope, aka Ray Elise, alleged president of the Rebels Māngere chapter, was one of three men charged in July last year following the violence in central Auckland in the early hours.
He pleaded guilty a year later.
Sitope is originally from Auckland but rose to the top ranks of the Rebels, one of the Australia's largest outlaw motorcycle gangs.
He was president of the club's Victoria chapter before he was deported from Australia in 2020 under the controversial 501 legislation, when he became the president of a Rebels Māngere chapter.
He is said to be an effective leader known for his quiet, polite disposition.
His co-accused and relative Laloasi Paulo, who owns a successful building company, also appeared for sentencing.
They faced charges of injuring with intent to injure and injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The latter charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of seven years.
They were represented by barrister Bradley Moyer at their sentencing in the Auckland District Court before Judge Peter Winter on Wednesday morning.
Moyer told the court both men were leaders within their families.
Family and supporters of the men packed the public gallery. The pair, who each had spent more than a year on bail after they were charged, sat silently together in the dock.
The charges stemmed from what Judge Winter described as a "significant outburst of violence" about 2.30am on January 1, 2021.
Sitope, Paulo and at least one other man were walking through an alley off Customs St West when an altercation began brewing between the trio and another group of three people, all relatives.
Paulo punched a man in the head, then Sitope joined the assault.
Two victims fell to the ground and were kicked several times where they lay.
One victim was attacked until he lost consciousness and eventually required reconstructive surgery.
He continued to suffer from concussion symptoms, while the other man was injured less severely.
For Paulo, Judge Winter adopted a starting point of 36 months imprisonment, reduced to 27 months with a 25 per cent discount for his guilty plea. However, that still remained above the two-year sentence threshold below which home detention becomes an option.
Winter applied no sentence uplift for previous violence convictions because they dated from 2007.
The Judge said he had received various positive references for Paulo, who owns a construction business employing 15 people.
A pastor at the Mt Roskill Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Paulo, whom he knew well, was a supportive father and frequent church attendee who was ashamed of his actions and determined not to offend again.
As a result of the rehabilitative work and counselling he had undertaken, including a living without violence programme, Judge Winter applied a further 15 discount, reducing the sentence to 16 months' imprisonment.
Judge Winter said he would have accepted a sentence of eight months' home detention as appropriate, except for one factor.
"Mr Paulo employs a number of people who rely on him for their livelihood.
"I do not deem it to be in the interests of justice to throw Mr Paulo on the scrap heap or those who are working for him."
Instead, Judge Winter sentenced him to six months' community detention with a curfew to remain at home overnight, 100 hours community work, 12 months of intensive supervision and an order to pay emotional harm reparation of $2000.
Sentencing Sitope, Judge Winter applied the same discounts for the guilty plea and rehabilitative steps taken while on bail.
"The situation was one where you all combined into an act of aggression against innocent persons who were simply like yourselves trying to enjoy the post-New Year situation in Auckland," Judge Winter said.
He said Sitope had a supportive partner.
"You also are remorseful and have taken the matter seriously."
However, Judge Winter said because he was not an employer he regarded his situation as different from his co-accused.
Sitope was sentenced ot eight months' home detention to be served at an address in East Tāmaki and the same $2000 emotional harm payment to be dived equally between the two male complainants.
When Sitope was charged his gang chapter was embroiled in a violent tit-for-tat conflict with the local King Cobras for control of Māngere.
The stoush in the early months of 2021 bore similarities to the recent Tribesmen and Killer Beez conflict in that it was characterised by houses being shot up.
Cars were also torched.
He was granted bail after he was charged last year, with a condition not to associate with any Rebels MC members.