Man uses cattle prod on girl

A Nelson man has admitted using an electric cattle prod on a 15-year-old girl, saying it was an alternative to punching her.

Donald Bernard Bull, 18, appeared in the Nelson District Court yesterday and admitted charges of assault using a blunt instrument, wilful damage and theft.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Chris Stringer told the court that after an argument in Nelson on February 4, Bull threw a concrete block through the rear windscreen of a vehicle.

He then drove to Waimea Rd, breaching his curfew.

The victim, who was known to Bull, and a younger friend were cycling past and approached him.

They started arguing, and he grabbed the victim by her top and raised his fist as if to hit her. She lashed out to try to free herself.

The court heard that Bull took an electric cattle prod from the car, pushed it into her abdomen and turned it on, holding it against her for four or five seconds.

She screamed and fell to the ground in pain, while he walked home.

The victim was not injured but was traumatised by what happened. "In explanation he stated the victim tried to punch him and he didn't want to hit a girl," Mr Stringer said.

"He realised that he may have over-reacted."

The theft charge related to the taking of a car from an Invercargill farm where Bull worked. It was found near Motueka with the windows smashed and the stereo missing.

Defence lawyer Mark Dollimore said Bull wanted to apologise to the victim.

Judge Tony Zohrab remanded him in custody for sentencing on March 19.

- © Fairfax NZ News