KEY POINTS:
A man who punched two people eating kebabs in unprovoked attacks on Wellington's Cuba Street has been jailed for nine months.
William Kelvin Keepa, 21, from Newtown, appeared for sentencing in Wellington District Court today after earlier admitting two charges of assault.
The incidents happened on September 4.
Judge Anthony Walsh said Keepa had first punched a man eating a kebab in the forehead. Keepa then took his kebab and struck him in the face again, causing him to fall.
The police were called and when they arrived saw Keepa approach another man who was sitting on a stool outside a bar, also eating a kebab. Keepa pushed the man's kebab away and punched him three times in the face before he could react.
Judge Walsh said the second victim "suffered no injuries apart from his face was covered in a kebab".
However, the other victim damaged three teeth and needed hundreds of dollars of dental treatment.
Keepa was too drunk to explain his actions to police, the court was told.
Keepa's lawyer, Mike Kilbride, sought credit for his client pleading guilty at the first opportunity.
Judge Walsh told Keepa he had major problems with alcohol and the attacks were totally unprovoked and involved members of the public.
"You come along and whack them, there is too much of that in this country."
Judge Walsh said he hoped a nine month prison sentence would deter such behaviour.
Keepa was also ordered to attend alcohol and drug counselling as well as psychological counselling.
Keepa was also convicted and sentenced to two months prison after admitting two charges of driving while disqualified, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and unlawfully being in a motor vehicle. Those incidents also happened in September.
The sentences were to run together with the sentence for assault.
He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.
- NZPA
