A man who took part in two violent attacks to help his brother recover wages allegedly owed to him has been sentenced to six years' jail.
Jonathan McCullen Patene, 47, of Manurewa, had admitted two counts of aggravated burglary, one of aggravated robbery, threatening to kill, injuring with intent and demandingmoney with menaces.
In the High Court at Auckland yesterday, defence lawyer Peter Winter said Patene had been trying to help his brother recover wages owed to him by painting contractor Nazim Ali.
According to the police summary, the brother allegedly hit Mr Ali five times with a hammer and Patene struck him with a piece of wood at a Papatoetoe address on February 5.
A week later the brothers and another man barged into the home of Hidayt Ali, an associate of Mr Ali's, demanding to know where the contractor was.
Patene's brother was said to have hit the homeowner with a chained fist and Patene allegedly struck him on the back of the head with a nunchakai, though he denies this.
Passing sentence, Justice Susan Glazebrook said society would not tolerate this sort of debt-collecting.
She accepted that Patene had helped his brother out of a misguided sense of loyalty, but nevertheless took part in the assaults.
