A man who bashed his step-daughter's rapist won't be heading to jail.
The Wellington man - who has name suppression to protect his step-daughter's identity - has been sentenced to 240 hours community service in the Wellington District Court.
He caught Jason Haward attacking the 15-year-old girl outside his house in Paraparaumu last year, and intervened.
Two days later the step-father saw Haward walking down the street, so launched at him.
Haward was convicted of the rape and is currently serving a seven-and-a half year sentence in prison.
At the step-father's sentencing on Wednesday, Crown lawyer Adele Garrick asked for a starting prison term of between two and two-and-a-half years to be imposed.
She cited the 50-year-old's total lack of remorse and aggravating factors, including that he admitted hitting his step-daughter's rapist eight or nine times in the head.
Mr Garrick also told the court it took three people to pull the man off Haward, who was bleeding and had lost a tooth.
However Wellington District Court judge Peter Butler today accepted the man was provoked by the actions of the rapist.
"Your anger and outrage were understandable," said Judge Butler.
Outside court after sentencing the man said he regrets how the situation turned out.
"It wasn't supposed to go that way - if he hadn't tried to get away it would never have gone that far."
He said the ordeal had been "a nightmare" for his family and in particular his step-daughter.
"She'll be glad to see me home," he said. "I told her this morning if I don't come home you might not see me for a couple weeks."
He says he still has no remorse and plans to lodge an appeal to his conviction.
Defence lawyer Peter Foster had earlier asked for a discharge without conviction.
Mr Foster said he was "a man who acted spontaneously out of love for his step-daughter".
Newshub.
