Martinborough firefighter Peter Fisher, who was seriously assaulted trying to evict some unwanted guests from a party. – Loren Dougan/ Fairfax NZ
When a firefighter who was nearly killed while trying to help a neighbour learned that his attacker had pleaded guilty, one of his first thoughts, typically, was of others.
Volunteer firefighter Peter Fisher almost died in late 2012 after being savagely beaten by Milton Haira, whom he was trying to evict from a party in Martinborough.
On Monday morning, as his trial was due to start, Haira, now 25, pleaded guilty to one charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to Fisher.
Milton Haira has pleaded guilty to wounding Martinborough volunteer firefighter Peter Fisher.
A second man, Jack Ffrost, also pleaded guilty to an amended charge of injuring with intent to assault.
Fisher’s father, Brian, said his son was relieved a 2½-year wait for justice was ending, especially because it meant the teenage girls he was trying to help that night would not have to take the stand.
“Peter was very worried about the young girls. For them it was very traumatic as well.”
On October 27, 2012, a neighbour asked Fisher for help ejecting Haira from a gathering of 14-year-olds, which Haira had gatecrashed.
Haira attacked him, leaving Fisher with brain damage and extensive fractures to his eye sockets, nose, cheeks and mouth, including a dislodged palate and three missing teeth.
Hutt Hospital plastic surgeon Swee Tan described repairing his face as like doing a jigsaw puzzle. He was in surgery for five hours and had metal plates put into his face.
Fisher has no memory of the attack. He spent more than 10 weeks in hospital and another two months in a rehabilitation unit.
His father said his son is now working part-time in a Masterton hardware store. While he still struggled with tiredness, he was slowly recovering.
He was still awaiting ACC clearance to get back on the fire trucks and into full-time work, but was training with both the Martinborough and Greytown fire brigades and involved with Greytown’s road crash rescue team.
Brian Fisher, himself a firefighter for many years, said his son might be more cautious in the future, but he doubted he would stop thinking of others first.
“Anybody in the fire service, they get up in the middle of the night to go and help people, they have no idea of the dangers they’re putting themselves into … we’re pretty proud of him.”
The experience had been “devastating”, but had not changed how his son felt about Martinborough. “Peter knows everybody there and he’s had a hell of a lot of support, he loves the place.”
Fisher and his friends, family, partner and daughter were very grateful to their many supporters, and especially to Tan: “[Peter] looks very much as he did beforehand … we didn’t think he’d ever look the same.”
Brian Fisher did not want to comment on how the family felt about Haira.
“I think you can imagine.”
In the court in Wellington on Monday, other charges of assault, threatening to kill and attempting to pervert the course of justice were discharged after a plea bargain was arranged.
Detective Sergeant Matt Wasson, of Wairarapa, who was in charge of the case, said the outcome was a relief.
“It’s been a long road; there’s been a lot of work put in by police and the Crown with assistance from the family and the many witnesses involved.”
Haira and Ffrost are to be sentenced in May.
CALEB HARRIS, WAIRARAPA
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