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Offender Databases Tyson Grennell

Tyson Gene Grennell

Alias

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Offences

Grievous bodily harm of 40 year old Invercargill man in February 2004
Many other convictions for assault, male assaults female, theft, disorderly behaviour, possession of utensils since

Victims

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Offender Affiliations

Sarn Grigsby
Steven Perkins

Gang affiliations

none known

Age

Born 1988

Current Location

Invercargill at large

Parole/Release Dates

Sentenced to just two years eight months in August 2004
Sentenced to three months in November 2005
Sentenced to six months in October 2007
Sentenced to 40 hours community work in January 2008
Sentenced to 50 hours' community work in July 2008

Background
From the Southland Times, 4th August 2004
THREE youths severely beat a man with wooden pickets, causing him brain damage, after a failed attempt to con him out of $5 of chips, the Invercargill District Court was told yesterday. The boys were aged 15 and 16 years on February 11, the day of the attack, and yesterday all three were sentenced to jail. Judge Phil Moran sentenced Steven John Perkins to three years' jail, Tyson Gene Grennell to two years and eight months and Sarn Kale Grigsby to a year. The three, all 16, admitted charges of causing the 40-year-old victim grievous bodily harm. Perkins and Grigsby were also charged with robbery at Riverton on August 5 and injuring with intent on December 11. Grigsby was also charged with possession of a knife on June 27. Judge Moran said one of the trio called a takeaway shop on February 11 and falsely complained about finding a hair in some chips in the hope of getting some for free.

It was a juvenile attempt, which backfired when the victim turned up at their house agitated and angry. They did not let the man inside but as he was leaving they emerged and threw wet paper towels at him. The victim chased the three back inside the house and then got in his car to leave. However, Grennell emerged again and threw a fence paling, which struck the man's car. That action further enraged the victim and he got out of his car and picked up the paling. By this time all the boys had come outside and armed themselves with fence pickets, Judge Moran said. They squared off with the victim and eventually surrounded him. When the victim turned his back to Perkins, Perkins struck him on the back of the head with full force, breaking the picket. The man fell to the ground and when he tried to get up, Grennell hit him on the back, causing another significant injury. Grigsby also hit the victim with wooden pickets on the body and hands.

The man suffered a complex fractured skull and swelling and bruising to the brain. He needed urgent surgery and it was likely he would suffer long-term cognitive problems. He could no longer work, struggled to interact with his children and needed 24-hour care. His wife said the physical and emotional damage done to the family could not be described, the judge said. Perkins deserved the longer term because he had started the hostilities and struck the first blow, Judge Moran said. Grennell had thrown the paling at the car and delivered a savage blow to the victim's body. Grigsby had contributed to the man's injuries. Perkins and Grennell both admitted they could get "very angry, very quickly" and both had suffered difficult childhoods. Grigsby was granted the right to apply for home detention.

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Corrections and Additional Information
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