Vacuum cleaner pipe assault results in community work and supervision for Whanganui man

Judge Charles Blackie sentenced Frances Peacock to community work and supervision for assaulting his neighbour with a vacuum cleaner pipe. Photo / Bevan Conley

A Whanganui man struck his neighbour with a vacuum cleaner pipe because he was angered by his car.

Frances Peacock was at his home in May when he became enraged by the noise of his neighbour's car and the close proximity of it to his property.

In Whanganui District Court, Judge Charles Blackie told of how on May 15, 2018, Peacock approached his neighbour yelling and grabbed him by the shirt.

"You had this vacuum cleaner pipe, initially when he tried to resist being grabbed by the shirt, the pipe was dropped, but later you recovered it," Judge Blackie said.

"You swung it down to strike him, he put his hands up to protect his face and body.

"The vacuum cleaner pipe struck his hands and caused immediate injury to his index finger and thumb."

When police arrived at the scene, Peacock told them he had acted in that manner because his neighbour was a nark.

Defense counsel Raukawa Simon said Peacock's offending was low-level compared to his offending in 2006 and 1996.

"He does have a significant past in terms of violent offending, but much more serious than what we're dealing with now," Simon said

"Mr Peacock needs to deal with this impulsive behaviour which was obviously present on the day of offending."

Peacock pleaded guilty to and was convicted of assault with a weapon.

Judge Blackie sentenced him to 150 hours' community work and 12 months' supervision.

Peacock and the complainant remain neighbours and patched things up independently of any court process.