Boy kicked unconscious in park
Tuesday, 16 December 2008A 14-year-old boy has told how he pulled out a knife and cut two older teenagers who were robbing him in a Christchurch park - and got a beating that put him in hospital for three days.
The boy told a Christchurch District Court that the two people he stabbed were part of a group of four that was robbing him of his cellphone, hat, hoodie, and shoes.
The hat that was taken had "Eastside" written on it, a reference to the Eastside Crip, a youth gang, the boy explained under cross-examination on the trial's first day.
The boy was charged separately in the Youth Court and admitted intentionally injuring two people.
Four teenagers the crown alleges carried out the robbery and beating have gone on trial today before Judge Colin Doherty and a jury.
Harley Ehekrera Tapine, 17, Jamie Junior Karlytzky, 18, and Te Kewana Hoori Kapea, 18, are charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Chelsea Lissina Whaanga, 18, Kapea, and Tapine, face robbery charges. Tapine faces a further assault charge. The three are listed as unemployed.
Crown prosecutor Marcus Zintl said the boy was with a group of six crossing Linwood Park at 3am on April 12 when they were asked the time.
When the boy looked at his cellphone, the crown says Tapine grabbed it and said, "It's mine now."
Whaanga and Kapea took another girl's handbag. Whaanga said, "If you don't give me the bag it will make things worse for you."
The boy refused to hand over his hooded top and beanie and was punched in the head.
He then took out a knife and cut Tapine and Whaanga.
Mr Zintl said Kapea and Karlytzky became angry, kicked and punched the boy until he fell and then Karlytzky and Tapine dragged him to the basketball court and kicked him unconscious.
Tapine then took the boy's hat, shoes, and hoodie.
The boy walked home with his friends before an ambulance was called. He spent three days in hospital with serious head and facial injuries.
The crown says the boy's clothes were found in Tapine's possession. Karlytzky admitted to police that he kicked the boy until he lost consciousness, and agreed it was in retaliation for the stabbing of Whaanga.
Defence counsel for Tapine Colin Eason said his client had no recollection of the incident, and the evidence linking him was "confused, vague, and not entirely credible".
For Karlytzky, Tony Greig said the teenager had not intended to cause serious injury when he kicked the boy. "Consider what (the boy) did with that knife," he told the jury.
Serina Bailey said Kapea had been at the scene but presence was not enough to prove guilt. The crown had to prove she had done something either physically or to encourage the others.
Bridget Ayrey said there was confusion and conflict in the evidence against Whaanga.
The boy gave evidence from behind a screen, telling how he had been kicked to the face before he got back up and took out the knife.
He said: "I tried to get them away from me. I leaned forward with my knife. I got hit back to the ground and got kicked in the face and upper body. I was dragged by my hood to the basketball court. My hoodie was ripped off, shoes taken off me, and my hat. I was just knocked out."
NZPA
• Addicts centre moving next to 'drug park'
• Taxi-cams may be compulsory
• Doctors say mistakes could hit any hospital
• Heat goes out of visa row with Fiji
• Merry Xmas, your child's care centre is up for sale
• Last call at the (in)famous Fitz
• Eight children overdose on mood drugs
• Racing Board reaches for stars
• Battle on the pokies front for RSA
• Man turns blue under car
• Silence as cookie workers leave
• Wairarapa balloon fiesta scaled back
• Pair's selfless act rewarded
• Woman flees SI in wake of racial attack