Another light sentence

reports:

Two Wellington bar owners have been with permanent injuries and feel like they have lost 10 years of their lives after an unprovoked attack on them by a patron.

Ray and Sue Cullis​ were in court to see what finally happened to Hugh Soper, having waited more than two years for a resolution.

Both had their victim impact statements read to Wellington District Court judge Bruce Davidson​ at his sentencing on Friday. They detailed the suffering and medical treatment they had undergone in the years since the 2019 attack.

Soper, then 23, had been at their pub, the Sprig and Fern in , on a Sunday night. After a minor argument where a friend of his was asked to leave, Soper threatened to hit Ray Cullis, 72, with a pint handle before punching him three or four times and stomping on his head.

Sue Cullis had her hand broken when she tried to intervene. Others had to drag Soper away.

Ray Cullis had his jaw displaced and had to have a head scan to see if any bones were broken in his skull. He has been left with permanent damage to his left eye and needed surgery to correct it, while his wife had to have multiple surgeries on her left hand after it was rebroken several times during treatment.

My God, the poor bar owners. It's a lovely little bar I've been to often. Someone in their 20s beating up a couple in their 70s is despicable.

Judge Davidson sentenced Soper … to seven months' home detention, ordered him to stay away from alcohol, and to pay $4000 emotional harm reparation.

Seven month's home detention seems far too light, for such an awful assault – even if he is a first time offender.

NB: Only discussion of the assault and sentence will be on-topic – anything about the family of the assailant will be deleted as not relevant.

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