Anthony Archbold hung his head in apparent shame as he was sentenced in the Nelson District Court after assaulting a man in a Nelson cemetery in January 2025. Photo / Tracy Neal
The man, in his 70s, fended off Archbold with his walking stick, as he retreated to the safety of his car, uninjured but “extremely shaken and frightened”, police said.
Archbold then returned to a quiet seating area and began smashing glass bottles on the ground, within sight of council workers tending the area.
He then took off all of his clothing and started running across the graves naked, then started throwing items around in a rage, including flowers and pictures which had been placed near headstones.
Police said Archbold had a plastic punching bag, which he used to smash areas around the graves.
He was still running around naked, swearing and shouting, when police arrived.
Sorrow shown at sentencing
Today the 28-year-old Blenheim man hung his head as he was sentenced in the Nelson District Court to nine months’ home detention on multiple charges including assault, injuring with intent to injure, obscene exposure, interfering with a grave or human remains, disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence and aggravated assault on police.
As Archbold was arrested and being placed in the police car he spat on a constable, and headbutted another.
The constable needed hospital treatment for bruising, swelling and concussion, police said.
Archbold was also sentenced for possessing a cannabis utensil after police checked his removed clothing at the cemetery and found a cannabis pipe.
He appeared remorseful during sentencing, as his lawyer Alice Zeimann reiterated the apology he had given directly to the victim during Restorative Justice.
Judge Tony Snell noted Archbold had not shied away from apologising to the man, and to the police.
“You were forgiven by the [primary] victim in an act of real community spirit and that person’s Christian faith.
“They commended you for coming forward and apologising directly,” Judge Snell said.
He said Archbold’s acceptance of how bad his offending was, was “rare in court these days”.
Fractured youth
Zeimann explained factors in Archbold’s life and background that had contributed to his conduct, including physical and psychological abuse in state care and exiting mainstream education at a very young age.
Judge Snell noted Archbold’s positive pre-sentence report, including that he had not tried to justify or excuse his behaviour which had led to him “genuinely regretting” what had occurred.
He said Archbold, now a father of a young child, had commented that if he could, he would relive that whole day, and not be at the cemetery, but he couldn’t do that.
Anthony Archbold assaulted a man as he tended his wife’s grave at Marsden Cemetery in January 2025. He also damaged graves with a plastic punching bag he had brought with him, then assaulted police officers after he was arrested. Photo / Tracy Neal
“You have expressed real concern and embarrassment about your behaviour and you have been open and frank about what occurred.”
Sentencing a ‘balancing act’
Judge Snell also noted Archbold’s understanding of the impact of misusing alcohol and drugs, and how he wanted to remain sober and abstain, and the steps taken to address that.
He had also been a reliable worker for the four years he had held down the same job.
Judge Snell said he needed to balance this against the offending, which had to be denounced, while also recognising Archbold’s need for reintegration into the community.
From an adjusted starting point of two years and four months in prison, Archbold was given a total 30% discount for his guilty pleas, his attending Restorative Justice, his genuine remorse and background factors to arrive at the sentence of home detention with six months post-detention conditions.
The conditions of Archbold’s sentence included that he attend assessment for alcohol and drug relapse prevention.
“As an adult man you now need to look forward. You owned up to this and you did that in a responsible way,” Judge Snell said.
Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.