Former ‘Shortland Street’ Actor Sentenced to Home Detention for brutal Road rage Attack
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A former child actor, known for his role on teh long-running New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street, has been sentenced to seven months’ home detention following a violent road rage assault that left the victim with lasting injuries. The incident, stemming from a minor traffic accident, escalated into a brutal beating and has sparked outrage after details of the aftermath emerged in court.
The Initial Collision and Rising Tensions
The events unfolded on January 19, 2024, in the Auckland suburb of Goodwood Heights after Innes Clark pulled her vehicle into oncoming traffic on Redoubt Rd, resulting in a collision with a Toyota hatchback. According to a police summary of facts, the impact “shunted the complainant’s vehicle across the road and into oncoming traffic.” While the Toyota driver ensured everyone’s safety and exchanged details with Clark, her son, Brooklyn Nathan, became increasingly aggressive.
Nathan, who portrayed the character of Boogie Jones in 46 episodes of Shortland Street between 2020 and 2023, began “swearing and blaming the complainant for the accident,” despite his mother’s pleas for him to calm down and leave the scene. The situation rapidly deteriorated when the Toyota driver, fearing for his safety, attempted to call emergency services.
A Savage Assault and Lasting Injuries
At that point, Nathan launched an unprovoked attack, punching the Toyota driver in the eye. The victim attempted to defend himself, but Nathan continued the assault, delivering a “barrage of punches to his head, face and arms” that knocked him to the ground. “Ms Clark shouted at mr Nathan to stop,screaming that they had to get out of there,” the police summary detailed.Even as the victim tried to rise, Nathan continued the attack, inflicting further injuries, including a profusely bleeding nose.
A bystander intervened, prompting Nathan and his mother to flee the scene. The victim was subsequently taken to Middlemore Hospital,where he was diagnosed with a fractured eye socket,haemorrhaging of the blood vessels in the left eye,and bruising. He required surgery and, nearly two years later, continues to suffer from debilitating double vision and requires ongoing medical care.
Shocking Self-Incrimination and Legal Proceedings
The case took a disturbing turn when it was revealed that Nathan filmed a nine-second video immediately after the attack. The video depicts the victim bleeding on the ground, followed by Nathan taking a selfie. While the prosecutor, Christie Lee, apologized for the late disclosure of the video, Judge McNaughton deemed it inappropriate to introduce at that stage of the proceedings.
The Crown initially argued for a sentance of two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment,citing the severity of the assault and the lasting harm inflicted upon the victim. Though, the defense, led by Simon Hewson, argued for community detention and intensive supervision, emphasizing Nathan’s youth, guilty plea, and rehabilitative efforts. Hewson stated that those around Nathan described him as a “man of compassion and kindness” under normal circumstances,and that his client had offered a $5000 emotional harm payment to the victim. The victim, however, declined an offer of restorative justice.
Sentencing and a Reduced Term
Judge McNaughton ultimately settled on a starting point of two years’ imprisonment but granted a 40% discount due to Nathan’s guilty plea, age, and demonstrated efforts toward rehabilitation.This reduction brought the sentence down to 14 months, qualifying him for home detention. He was sentenced to seven months’ home detention.
The victim, in a statement read to the court, revealed he now experiences anxiety, notably around younger adults, and continues to struggle with double vision and difficulties driving at night. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of unchecked road rage and the lasting impact of violent acts.
