Argument over Covid-19 vaccine turns violent

A disagreement between family members over the Covid-19 vaccination turned ugly in Bay of Plenty when a man turned to violence.

Dujon Wiremu Bettridge, 28, appeared in the Whakatā ne District Court this week to be sentenced on charges of wilful damage, assaulting a person in a family relationship and threatening speech.

On a Saturday in November, Bettridge had been drinking when he and his father began to argue about the vaccine.

Bettridge, who is unvaccinated, and his father, who is vaccinated and suffers from various health conditions, became involved in a heated argument. The disagreement turned violent, however, details of the father’s injuries and Bettridge’s actions were not specified in court.

During the altercation, a chair and water cooler were broken.

Defence lawyer David Pawson said his client accepted the summary of facts except for the details that claimed he threatened to ‘‘finish his father off’’.

Pawson said Bettridge accepted he had a few too many beers on the evening of his offending and felt embarrassed to be before the courts.

Judge Louis Bidois addressed Bettridge, explaining to him that his choice to remain unvaccinated made his father vulnerable as he suffered from ill health.

‘‘Sometimes you have to think of other people’s lives,’’ Judge Bidois said.

Bettridge informed the judge he was now living in his car.

Bettridge was sentenced to 180 hours of community work, ordered to pay reparation of $150 for the chair and watercooler and $200 in emotional harm reparation to his father.