Victim's son punched burglar outside court

Stephen Makoare Little was punched about four times by Anthony Charlie Kuru. Photo / File

A burglar who confessed to his crime before entering court got more than his fair share of punishment - a few blows that resulted in a black eye.

Stephen Makoare Little was punched about four times by Anthony Charlie Kuru, son of Edith Kuru, whose Onerahi home was burgled and a television set stolen by three intruders.

Little, Nicholas Pascoe, and an accomplice were involved in the burglary in May.

In a letter to the Whangarei District Court, Mrs Kuru said while she was telling a woman outside court on May 30 that her home had been burgled, Little overheard the conversation and laughed with his friends at what she said.

"Anthony was sitting across from me, noticed these lads looking at me and laughing every time I spoke, so he stood up and went over to them.

"[He] asked one of the lads, was he the one who robbed my mum's house. His reply was a very cheeky 'yes'," she said.

Anthony Kuru punched Little with a closed fist to his right eye before he threw three more punches to his head.

In explanation, he told police: "He burgled my mum's house, so he deserves it."

"Police let him out on bail and the courts don't do anything, so I don't care. I should have brought my hammer and knocked his head off," he said.

His mother said her family had bought the TV on hire purchase about two months earlier and were paying for it when it was stolen in a 3am burglary.

Pascoe, 22, and Little were earlier convicted of burglary and sentenced to six months' supervision and ordered to perform 175 hours' community work.

Each will pay reparation of $885 towards the stolen TV.

Anthony Kuru, 42, was charged with common assault, to which he pleaded guilty.

He was this week sentenced to 75 hours' community work and 12 months' supervision.

Judge Duncan Harvey also ordered him to undergo a violence prevention programme because he had problem controlling his anger.

Judge Harvey said

Little was frightened that Anthony Kuru and his family were still after him.

-APNZ