Nose biter was on bail for biting knee | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

A Rotorua man who bit off part of another man's nose was already on bail for biting a man's knee.

Tai Paul O'Quinn, who has 15 previous convictions for assault, narrowly avoided going to jail on Friday after earlier being found guilty by a jury of a charge of wounding with intent. He was also sentenced on a charge each of assault with intent to injure and burglary.

Judge Chris McGuire said it would be easy for him to send O'Quinn to jail for three years but said he was prepared to extend mercy to him and sentenced him to 12 months' home detention.

On December 3, O'Quinn broke into the home of a couple he knew and bit a man's knee during a scuffle. During the scuffle the victim fell to the ground and hit his head, requiring four stitches, said Judge McGuire.

In July, O'Quinn was found guilty of biting off part of a man's nose during a scuffle on New Year's Day, resulting in the victim requiring plastic surgery.

Judge McGuire said he could not help but note O'Quinn's reaction immediately after the verdict.

"You wept for quite a long time. In my 12 years as a judge and many more as a lawyer I have not seen that occur. It was not something I would have expected from a person with the number of convictions you have for violence."

Judge McGuire said he would have expected the reaction of a man with the number of convictions O'Quinn had to be more staunch.

"You had reached rock bottom and the tears you were shedding were tears of desperation, even despair over your life to this point."

Judge McGuire said the man whose nose was partly bitten off forgave O'Quinn and said he had contributed to the incident.

Given O'Quinn's previous criminal history Judge McGuire said he could not think of a judge in New Zealand who would bat an eyelid or lose a moment's sleep in sentencing O'Quinn to three years' jail.

"There are a number of matters which trouble me and give me pause to consider something else."

Judge McGuire said O'Quinn had been raised in a number of welfare homes, left school at 13, had obvious massive problems with drugs and alcohol, had attempted to self harm and to commit suicide. O'Quinn had the psychological development of a 13-year-old which could be the result of being abused as a child and his abuse of alcohol and drugs.

Judge McGuire said O'Quinn did not know how to cope with living in a way where he didn't offend although he made some progress with his last assault conviction in 2002.

He told O'Quinn if he was to change his life he would have to find God, religion or "something big".

After he was sentenced, O'Quinn said he would not forget the mercy he had shown him.

"I'll try and sort my life out."