A Japanese language student is to head home in disgrace today after bullying a fellow student.
Intervention by the Christchurch police brought an early end to Yusuke Musashi's offending - and his studies. He will not be allowed to return to New Zealand.
Christchurch District Court Judge Brian Callaghan ordered the 18-year-old to repay $257 to his victim. The police will then give Musashi back his passport, and he can fly home to Japan.
Musashi pleaded guilty to two charges of threatening to kill the other student, who is aged 15.
The police withdrew three other charges of demanding money with menaces and stealing a $30 bracelet. All of the charges involved the same victim.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Lachy Garrick said the two teenagers were in a Christchurch video game arcade on May 15. Musashi asked to borrow $50 which he said would be repaid by a third person.
Musashi then told the victim that unless he paid there would be a "naguru" - the Japanese word for serious fight or assault.
The boy agreed to pay, and when he wanted to leave an hour later Musashi asked him to come around to a friend's house and said he would kill him if he refused.
On June 2, Musashi met the victim in central Christchurch and told him he wished to go shopping. He put his arm around the victim's shoulder and led him to a department store where he made him buy an expensive bottle of perfume.
He said to the victim: "I'll kill you if you don't buy it."
Defence counsel Raoul Neave said the return flight to Japan had already been arranged and police were happy to go along with it on the basis that Musashi would not be returning.
"The complainant does not require any other penalty apart from reparations," he said.
He accepted that the complainant would have been frightened and scared by Musashi's comments.
He did not believe Musashi was in a position to pay a fine.
"He is in receipt of only a small amount of money from his parents. All his expenses are prepaid.
"He is going home in disgrace and won't be able to come back to continue his studies. That will be a significant penalty in itself," said Mr Neave.
Judge Callaghan imposed no fine, but ordered Musashi to pay $257 reparation before his passport was returned to him.
- NZPA
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