A man convicted of assault claims he was provoked to it by racial abuse.
Stephen James McKillop, 28, pleaded guilty to common assault when he appeared in the Wanganui District Court yesterday.
But his lawyer, Stephen Ross, said McKillop disputed aspects of the police summary.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Drew Morrison said on March 20, McKillop bumped into a man with whom he had "a bad history". Mr Morrison said McKillop punched the man several times, tried to get a bottle of alcohol off him, and punched him again.
Mr Ross said his client did not deny punching the man.