A man who repeatedly struck his brother over the head with a ceramic bowl, leaving him needing 13 stitches, hoped a glowing reference from a pet shop about his care of a rare African grey parrot might help keep him out of jail.
“I know that I could trust him with my flock,” the store owner wrote of Anthony Gugich.
The letter of support was among the material put before the court, alongside a Corrections report revealing that Gugich had declined to provide an address for home detention, saying he wanted to “keep his affairs to himself”.
This week, Gugich appeared in the Whangārei District Court for sentencing via audio-visual link from Pukekohe District Court before Judge Greg Davis on one charge of injuring with intent to injure.
Judge Davis recently found Gugich guilty at a judge-alone trial for the assault at the family home in Pukekohe.
On August 12, 2025, Gugich arrived at the home to find his belongings on the driveway.
When his brother arrived, the pair argued, and Gugich hit him on the head several times with a ceramic bowl. The brother suffered a serious cut requiring 13 stitches.
Gugich took his case to a judge-alone trial, claiming he was acting in self-defence.
But Judge Davis rejected his defence and, after finding him guilty, warned he would go to prison if he did not find an address at which to serve a sentence of home detention.
Pre-sentence reports were ordered, but Gugich told Corrections he was unwilling to provide an address as he wanted to “keep his affairs to himself”, the judge said.
Gugich’s lawyer, Kerrie Scott, said he was “taken by surprise” when he read the report, which had left Gugich with limited options.
However, Scott pushed for a reconciliatory approach, submitting that the case could be referred to restorative justice and that community work could be an appropriate sentence.
“I made it pretty clear at the end of the hearing that this was serious, that I wanted electronically monitored options, and he’s seen fit not to see it as being that serious community-wise,” Judge Davis responded.
“We’re having a serious disagreement as to the gravity of this offending here. And sorry, I win these arguments.”
Judge Davis said Gugich did not appear remorseful, despite the victim providing a victim impact statement that said he loved his brother and did not want to see him go to jail.
Gugich then addressed the court.
“I have thought about what happened, and I’m very shocked and very sorry about it,” he said.
“I have wanted to apologise personally, but the no-contact order prevented me from doing so.
“Since the passing of our mother, we have become closer. Having Craig in my life is something I want very much, as we do get along in a positive way and also we do need each other, especially now.”
“I know that I could trust him with my flock,” the pet store owner wrote of Anthony Gugich, who cares for a rare African grey parrot.
AFP
The letter from the pet shop was given to the court, in which the owner said Gugich owned a rare African grey parrot called Blue, which belonged to his mother, and often brought it in for treats.
“Tony and a selection of other customers buy a toy or treat for their feathered friends as payment for a wing clip,” she wrote.
“I also have birds, but not as big as Blue. In the time that I have known Tony, I have found him to be very easy to chat with, and I know that I could trust him with my flock if I needed someone to take care of them.”
In sentencing Gugich, Judge Davis did not comment on the letter from the pet shop, but said the assault was significant, given that it involved repeated blows to the head with a weapon and required hospital treatment.
The judge also said the victim had revealed in his statement that there had been no offer of reconciliation and Gugich breached his bail “almost every day” by not keeping his distance from him.
“You broke those conditions nearly every day, he says,” Judge Davis said.
“You refused to provide electronic monitoring options to the court, not that I would have adopted them anyway. Your view was this should be dealt with by way of community work. You should keep your affairs to yourself, so to speak.
“However, this offending, in my view, is significantly beyond the scope where community work would be the appropriate sentencing outcome.”
He sentenced Gugich to two years and six months’ imprisonment.
At that point, Gugich slumped forward and put his head in his hands.
Gugich was also issued a strike under the three-strikes law.
* This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.
Open Justice