Machete used in vigilante threat

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A Westport man is alleged to have threatened to cut off a man's fingers with a machete in a vigilante-style in response to a rape claim.

Ethan Harmon appeared before a Greymouth District Court jury this morning. He has denied two charges of threatening grievous bodily harm and one of possessing an offensive weapon, a machete.

Crown prosecutor Anselm Williams said Harmon and an associate went to a block of 10 flats in Westport, known as the "pink flats", about 7.30pm on September 3 last year after hearing that someone known to him had been sexually assaulted.

Harmon, who was allegedly carrying a machete, then repeatedly held it to the cheek of one of the complainants, telling him that he was going to cut him up, and confronting him about the alleged sexual assault.

Mr Williams said Harmon then called another resident of the flat, who was not at home at the time, to come round to the flat. When he arrived Harmon allegedly threatened him by saying that, "If I find out what happened is the truth I'm going to come back and chop your fingers off". Police have since charged that man with sexual assault.

Mr Williams said a witness who arrived at to the flat while Harmon and his associate were there would also give evidence that Harmon was carrying a machete. He also said that if the jury believed the threats that Harmon was alleged to have made, then it would be easy to see he intended to cause "really serious injury", given that he was carrying a weapon.

Although it could be accepted the news of the rape had made Harmon behave the way he did, "it certainly doesn't excuse it, it's certainly not a defence to this charge to explain why he went round there".

Defence lawyer Marcus Zintl said it was "not denied" that Harmon had gone round to the flats to confront the two complainants.

"What is disputed is that Harmon was in possession of any weapon, let alone a machete," Mr Zintl said.

"Strong words" had been used but Harmon did not make any threats.

Mr Zintl told the jury he would would show "major inconsistencies" between the stories of the two complainants, and between them and one of the prosecution witnesses.

The defence would argue that one of the complainants had "made up" the allegations against Harmon to "divert police attention from the rape".