Prison for man who knocked out his 14-year-old mate

Sunday 13 August 2017

A 19-year-old man with a history of drink-related violence has been sent to prison for 18 months for attacking his mate.

The incident happened in April when Rian Golding and six or seven others were having a barbecue, and drinking in a field in Trinity.

Golding told the court he’d drunk about a litre and a half of vodka. 

Some time between 11 and midnight two members of the group moved away from the huddle and went to have a cigarette. Golding later approached them and started an argument. Then, with a single punch, he knocked the 14-year-old out cold. He was unconscious for about a minute. When he came round Golding punched him a second time and he fell into nearby bushes. There was blood coming from the victim’s mouth. He went home and told his mother and she contacted the police.

In April Golding appeared in the Magistrate’s Court and pleaded guilt to a charge of grave and criminal assault. Because of the seriousness of the charge the case was sent to the Royal Court to deal with.

Sentencing, Royal Court Commissioner Sir Michael Birt said because of Golding’s poor record – he has eight previous convictions for 26 offences including two grave and criminal assaults and four common assaults – there was little alternative to a prison term. Sir Michael also warned Golding “if you carry on hurting and assaulting people, you are going to spend longer and longer in prison, that would be a terrible waste of your life.”