Teen who punched Rotorua teacher in face wanted for arrest

Sheldon Tawhiti-Ormsby when he pleaded guilty to the assault. Photo / File

A teen who hit a Rotorua Intermediate teacher outside school and knocked him unconscious has been issued a warrant for arrest after failing to appear for sentencing this afternoon.

Sheldon Tawhiti-Ormsby, 18, from Rotorua, was due to be sentenced in the Rotorua District Court after pleading guilty in March, to assaulting Alasdair Hay at school pick-up on February 27.

Rotorua Intermediate. Photo / File

Hay, a teacher of 20-years, was punched in the face and sprained his ankle as he fell to the ground, chipping the bone.

Principal Garry de Thierry had initially hoped Hay would be back in a week, then later at the start of Term 2, but Hay's continued concussion symptoms have left him unable to return to work since.

Rotorua Intermediate School principal Garry de Thierry. Photo / File

Yesterday, education union NZEI Te Riu Roa released results of its 2018 Threats and Violence Against School Leaders survey.

The responses from 1428 primary and intermediate teachers showed in two years threats of violence towards school leaders had increased by 57 per cent.

Students had attacked 27 per cent of the leaders in 2018, and parents 4 per cent.

Rotorua District Court. Photo / File

Tawhiti-Ormsby was also due to be sentenced on charges of burglary and unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle, charges he had earlier admitted.