Westport man used vehicle as weapon

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A Westport teenager who ran another man down with his car has been sentenced to community work and stripped of his licence.

Levi Kinniburgh, 18, pleaded guilty in Westport District Court yesterday to an amended charge of assault with a blunt instrument. He had previously been charged with injuring with intent.

Police prosecutor Steven Greer said that at 3.30pm on June 20 last year Kinniburgh noticed the victim crossing a in Waimangaroa then got into his vehicle, revved the engine and drove out onto the road and hit him.

The victim got up and walked to the footpath. Kinniburgh turned his vehicle around and drove at him again.

The victim dodged him and Kinniburgh continued to drive around him.

The man suffered grazing to his cheek and an injury to his knee.

Kinniburgh told police the man had been walking towards him with a knife so he'd hit him.

Kinniburgh said he had driven at the man from only 5 or 10 metres away.

He stood by his claim the man had been carrying a knife. But Kinniburgh accepted he could have driven away after he got in his car, and so hadn't acted in self-defence.

Judge Jane Farish said he wasn't thinking through the consequences of his actions and the victim could have been seriously injured.

She sentenced him to 100 hours of community work and disqualified his licence for three months.