‘White supremacists’ jailed for Nelson attack
By VANESSA PHILLIPS
Two self-professed ‘white supremacists’ have been jailed for a racially motivated attack on a group of Asian teenagers in Nelson.
Painter Harry Shannon Dennis McCormack, 28, was today sentenced to 12 months prison for the unprovoked March 17 attack, while 20-year-old labourer Daniel Bryan Kitto was jailed for eight months.
“The two of you apparently claim to espouse white supremacist views,” Judge David McKegg told the Nelson men during sentencing in the Nelson District Court.
“That’s an appalling thing to have said about you.”
The pair were granted leave to apply for home detention, which the judge said he could not decline to give.
McCormack and Kitto had each admitted a charge of assault with intent to injure and two counts of assault in relation to the attack, which Crown prosecutor Glen Marshall termed a “hate crime.”
“You, McCormack, stated openly that you did not like Asian people and you decided to stop your car because you wanted to hurt them,” Judge McKegg told him.
Before the attack the two men had racially taunted and abused the three Asian high school students when they saw them at Buxton Square in Nelson.
The students, one of whom was 15 and the two others aged 17, were later sitting outside the Night Owl store on Waimea Rd when Kitto and McCormack came upon them again.
McCormack kicked the 15-year-old in the face and punched one of the other students, while Kitto punched the third. The 15-year-old suffered a cut to the inside of his mouth and needed three stitches.
He said McCormack was the dominant player in the attacks and while he had an extensive record of previous offending it was not for violence. Kitto’s record was more limited but he had a previous violence conviction, for assault with a weapon.
The court heard that McCormack had written letters of apology to the three victims, while Kitto had written an apology to the main victim.
Special conditions for the men’s parole included that they attend counselling.
The lawyers for both men said the men were sorry for their actions and wanted to address anger and substance-abuse issues.
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