Moments later the victim blacked out, only to regain consciousness at home.
He was admitted to hospital.
According to the police summary of facts, Babbington denied he was in Petone when the victim was hurt.
However, when he was arrested more than two weeks later, he had the victim’s cellphone, which was taken during the robbery.
Police also found 10ml of Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), a syringe for injecting the drug, a small bag containing two ecstasy tablets, 1.2g of cannabis wrapped in tinfoil, and two meth pipes.
Babbington admitted the substances, syringe and pipes were his but when asked about a clear liquid, he told police “I don’t really know what that is, mister. I’ve been putting it on my hands.”
Other offending included assaulting a police officer, wilful damage and assault.
Babbington appeared in court via audio-visual link and was sentenced to seven months home detention on a raft of charges, including for the violent robbery and the drug-related offending.
His lawyer Edwina Smith said Babbington had been working to get his license back and was hoping to get a job at the meat works in Rotorua.
While handing down his sentence, Judge Bruce Davidson noted Babbington had spent the equivalent of eight months in prison with the time he was remanded in custody and on electronically monitored bail.
Hazel Osborne is an Open Justice reporter for NZME and is based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington. She joined the Open Justice team at the beginning of 2022, previously working in Whakatāne as a court and crime reporter in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
