A Miramar resident often feared her car would be next for the capital's vigilante tyre slasher. Photo/Frances Cook
A Miramar resident often feared her car would be next for the capital's vigilante tyre slasher. Photo/Frances Cook
A Miramar resident who witnessed the harm done by the capital's vigilante tyre slasher says she wanted him nabbed, and often feared her car would be next.
David Johns, 53, will spend the next 22 months in prison for using a sharpened screwdriver to puncture the tyres ofat least 100 cars parked on the streets surrounding the Wellington airport.
Local resident Brenda Wallace met and comforted a lot of his victims outside her home.
"I would go out and meet them and for some of them it was an inconvenience and for some of them they just did not know what to do about it, so he did a great harm to them stabbing their tyres," Wallace said.
She also worried her tyres would be next.
"I wanted to help catch the guy because I did not want to see him continue to stab my neighbours' [tyres] and the people who come here."
The 53-year-old was sentenced at the Wellington District Court yesterday.
It is estimated he inflicted up to $20,000 worth of damage.
Judge Tim Black did not order Johns to pay reparation as he has no assets, is unemployed and relies on a benefit.
The court heard how David Johns told a psychologist he was proud of what he had done, and said he was the only one to make an impact, but Wallace disagrees and said Wellington Airport users are still parking on the streets he targeted.
David Johns, 53, will spend 22 months in jail for stabbing the tyres of at least 100 cars with a sharpened screwdriver. Photo/Facebook.
"Once the story hit the news there was hardly any parking in the area for a little while, but it came back ... I do not know that he had that big of an effect," she said.
Eastern Ward Wellington City Councillor Simon Marsh said the hefty sentence was unexpected and he wanted to see something that included reparation for the community and those who had their tyres slashed.
"I am really quite surprised at what I would regard as quite a severe sentence when I see people that are involved in perhaps violent acts on other people getting lesser sentences."
He does not believe anyone else is contemplating similar behaviour.
