Dad fined for belting man wooing his child

A Blenheim father has been convicted and fined $1000 for assaulting a man who wanted to have sex with his 13-year-old daughter.

Defence lawyer Michael Hardy Jones told the Blenheim District Court yesterday that the May 5 assault occurred after the defendant and his wife had tried other ways of keeping the man away from their daughter. All names are suppressed.

Mr Hardy Jones said that when the father, 43, realised a relationship had developed between his daughter and the 23-year-old, he initially went to the police. "They said they were not able to assist at that stage."

Help was then sought from Child Youth and Family (CYF), and then a church pastor. The latter organised a meeting and the victim promised to end his contact with the girl.

However, a few days later, the defendant and his wife were driving to work when they saw their daughter who should have been at school walking back home, hand-in-hand with the victim.

The father yesterday admitted to approaching the victim and punching the younger man in the face. He continued to hit the man on the ground and when he had stood up again. Mr Hardy Jones said the injuries were not great.

Judge Michael Behrens convicted the father and fined him $1000.