By Belinda Feek, Open Justice reporter of 
Ryan Andrew Brown was sentenced, via audio-visual link, in the Papakura District Court. Photo: Belinda Feek/Open Justice
A man who ran through a courtroom and punched a judge in the arm has been jailed.
Police labelled Ryan Andrew Brown's attack on Judge Bruce Davidson as "unprecedented".
On 29 March, the 32-year-old walked into the public gallery of courtroom 2 in the Wellington District Court about 12.30pm and briefly paused.
He then ran towards the judge, who had just finished sentencing another person, and past the lawyers' benches in the body of the court. Brown then knocked a trolley of files onto the registrar and punched Judge Davidson.
Security arrived and he was wrestled to the ground, before being taken to the holding cells.
Brown told police he did not want to receive bail on an unrelated charge for which he was being prosecuted and "wanted to go back to jail", because he could not handle his drug addiction.
The assault left those in the courtroom stunned, with one describing Judge Davidson as "an incredibly popular" judge and someone who was "very fair, hugely experienced and just very human".
On Thursday, Brown was sentenced at Papakura District Court by Manukau's executive judge, Judge Jonathon Moses.
He told Brown he clearly had "a number of issues" and urged him to get the treatment he needed to move forward.
Brown was also sentenced on two assault charges arising from an incident at a Dunedin pub in April last year and re-sentenced on several other charges, including driving with excess breath alcohol third or subsequent.
At the sentencing, Judge Moses allowed Brown to read an apology letter he had written to Judge Davidson.
Brown said he experienced mental health issues in the months leading up to the incident.
"I am sorry I assaulted you and I will be getting the help I need immediately upon release," he read aloud.
Symbolic and institutional harm
Senior police prosecutor Paul Watkins labelled the assault on the judge as "unprecedented", because it was inflicted by someone who came from the public gallery, as opposed to the dock.
Watkins cited a case where an offender jumped from the dock and assaulted a judge in Nelson. That person was jailed for 12 months on a charge of assault with intent to injure.
Watkins told Judge Moses that police had undercharged Brown with common assault and he should have faced a more serious charge, but Brown had "quite rightly" got legal advice and pleaded guilty immediately.
Watkins said the incident reflected, not just an assault on a person, but on the integrity of the justice system.
While the physical injury was minor, the symbolic and institutional harm was "substantial".
The attack was also unprovoked, and caused courtroom disruption and personal distress.
Brown's counsel, Kirsten Moyer, said her client was "very remorseful".
While he understood he was unlikely to meet with the judge, he wanted to meet with the two victims from the Dunedin incident.
Brown was "very highly intoxicated" during last year's assault and didn't remember it, she said.
He was also suffered from "quite significant" mental health issues at the time.
Moyer said Brown knew that he would be receiving a prison sentence but asked the judge to consider leave for him to apply for home detention.
"He'd already spent 54 days in custody, so is experiencing a level of sobriety."
Judge Moses noted Brown had 36 previous convictions, and the attacks on the three victims in the current sentencing matters were "completely unprovoked".
"All the victims were in diverse roles.
"One was a civilian bystander ... one was a judge.
"He was simply conducting the business of the court.
"An assault on a judge, while I accept it was relatively minor in nature, did cause disruption, personal distress, and as the police have pointed out, it goes to the heart of our justice system."
He said judges should be able to carry out their duties "without being interrupted or under threat of being assaulted in the course of their duties".
Judge Moses jailed Brown on all charges for 12 months.
* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.
