Man praised for heeding father's advice

D-Jae Rhodes, 18, was being sentenced for assault and assault with intent to injure. FILE PHOTO

A judge in Masterton District Court commended a young man on Thursday for heeding the final wishes of his late father.

D-Jae Rhodes, 18, was being sentenced for assault and assault with intent to injure.

His lawyer, James Elliot, noted that Rhodes' father had died tragically in July, in his car in the Wairarapa hospital carpark.

Before he did, however, D-Jae had "been able to have some conversations with Mr Rhodes senior", Mr Elliot said, in which the father "made some quite candid statements" about his own mistakes in life, and urged his son not to follow the same path.

Judge Hastings told Rhodes, "I think you owe your late father to do that, to take that on board", to which Rhodes replied, "Yep, yep."

In sentencing, Judge Hastings noted Rhodes had made some positive steps in life, including enrolling at an agricultural training college.

The judge read a letter from a farm manager for Rhodes had been working, regularly and unpaid, in connection with the course.

The letter described Rhodes as "reliable, sensible", and "a pleasure to have around", saying he was respected by staff and would become a capable farm worker.

"This is a great letter," Judge Hastings said.

"To my mind you have taken on board your father's advice not to go down the path he went down at your age.

"It does seem to me that you have turned a corner and I really hope that you have.

Judge Hastings sentenced Rhodes to six months community detention, 80 hours community work, and nine months supervision including a Tikanga Maori programme.