Merivale assault charge dropped

A Tauranga man accused of punching Merivale father Lance Scullin in the head before his death has had his charge withdrawn due to lack of evidence.

The Crown dismissed the charge of assault with intent to injure against Anothony Jack Taikato, 32, due to their only evidence coming from a drunk witness.


Anthony Taikato in Tauranga District Court during an earlier appearance.

Lance was found dead outside his Merivale home on December 1, 2013, following a fight in the suburb on November 31.

Police say the assault had nothing to do with his death.

Police say the security guard went to the aid of another man who was being assaulted on Kesteven Road.

Crown prosecutor Jasper Rhodes says they had to dismiss the charge as there was no definitive evidence.

'The only evidence came from one witness who was really intoxicated and wasn't backed up by anyone else including the victim himself [Lance Scullin] when he spoke to police shortly afterwards.

'He only reported being hit by one person which was Ratahi [Mihaka Ratahi] who is up for sentencing.”

Ratahi, 21, will be sentenced on July 14 after pleading guilty to assaulting Lance with a fence paling the night before his death.

Ratahi was due to be sentenced in February but failed to show in court. Subsequently an arrest warrant for Ratahi was issued.

Anthony's brother Zodiac Wiremu Taikato, 20, was sentenced to 150 hours community work after he pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawful assembly.

An arrest warrant has also been issued for Lance Perawiti charged with unlawful assembly, in relation to the incident, after he also failed to turn up to court.

A fifth man, Shem Williams, was sentenced to 100 hours community work when he admitted one count of unlawful assembly in Tauranga District Court on April 16.

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