At Peri’s recent sentencing, his lawyer said the senior sergeant’s actions likely saved his client’s life.
“Not only could he have been shot by the officer, but he could have been shot by one of the other two,” the lawyer said as Peri was jailed for three years and nine months.
Threats to kill and several 111 calls
It was September 30, 2024 when a resident of Waimā in Northland called police advising Peri was on their property yelling obscenities.
Another local arrived but Peri backed his vehicle up, blocking the exit.
The resident told Peri to leave but he instead went to his car and retrieved a machete, telling the man he was going to kill him.
The resident fled the scene and Peri also left.
Later that evening, several 111 calls were made from Waimā reporting disturbances from Peri’s address.
Four officers arrived on the scene, including Senior Sergeant Clem Armstrong.
Peri came out of his house and down the driveway brandishing a machete and a meat cleaver, banging them together and pointing them at the officers.
Peri was told to surrender and put his weapons down but instead swung the machete at a police vehicle, damaging the bonnet.
It was then he turned his focus to Armstrong.
Four Taser cartridges were fired at Peri, which had no effect. The officers were also armed with pistols and Peri challenged the senior sergeant to shoot him.
He did not.
Instead, he bravely decided to tackle Peri to the ground, who in turn swung his machete, striking Armstrong to the back of the head, causing a deep cut.
Once Armstrong and Peri were on the ground, three officers attempted to assist as Peri violently kicked out and swung his machete and meat cleaver as best he could.
As a result, Armstrong received further injuries to his hands and forearms.
After a long struggle, the four officers got Peri under control and placed him under arrest.
Armstrong required 16 stitches to his head and further stitches and treatment for his right arm.
Senior Sergeant Clem Armstrong was struck in the head with a machete after he chose to tackle Peri to the ground rather than shoot. Photo / NZME
When Peri was asked for an explanation, he said he was angry police were on his property and that they had not helped him when he had called them days beforehand.
Peri pleaded guilty in April to several charges of violence, including wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
At his recent sentencing in the Whangārei District Court, his lawyer Douglas Blaikie said Peri acknowledged Armstrong likely saved his life.
Blaikie submitted Peri had mental health issues but the court had already determined he was fit to plead and stand trial.
“As long as he stays on his meds when he’s released, that shouldn’t be any difficulty,” Blaikie said.
“Well that is the difficulty, because if he doesn’t, he might cause another disturbance or something more serious might happen,” Judge John McDonald said.
The Crown sought a starting point of 11 years’ imprisonment and lawyer Jesse Hunter said there was no causative link between his mental health and his offending.
Judge McDonald agreed and said several reports had been submitted regarding Peri’s health and he was not insane.
Judge McDonald acknowledged Peri had five prior convictions for violence, with the most recent being in 2022.
Peri was given a 20% discount from a starting point of six years nine months for his early guilty pleas and sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.
Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.