A judge says the life of a Hawke's Bay teenager has been largely ruined after a man poured petrol over him at a party and set him alight.
Justice Allan jailed Matt-Dillon Shannon for three years when he appeared at the Napier High Court for sentencing on Friday.
The 18-year-old from Hawke's Bay was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent at a jury trial in September this year.
During sentencing, prosecutor Clayton Walker told the court that the alcohol-fuelled attack on the 16-year-old during Shannon's 17th birthday party was incomprehensible.
Justice Allan told Shannon the victim suffered a violent and horrifying ordeal resulting in third-degree burns to his neck, shoulders and back - but it was not just the physical injuries that have scarred him for life.
"Your attack has left him mentally fragile, distressed and at times simply unable to cope. He has lost his self-esteem and finds life difficult to face.
"Unsurprisingly, he has needed counselling and specialist attention. In very large measure, you have ruined the life of a young man who was completely blameless."
The judge said the attack on the innocent partygoer was premeditated and violent, made worse by the fact that three of Shannon's friends held the boy down so he couldn't escape.
Justice Allan rejected a submission from defence lawyer Bill Calver that Shannon did not intend the injuries to be as serious.
The judge said the jail term would have been five-and-a-half years if it wasn't for the fact that Shannon has agreed to identify and testify against three alleged co-offenders.
Mr Calver told the court what his client did was lunacy of the highest order.
Later, he told Radio New Zealand's Checkpoint programme that Shannon has taken responsibility for pouring petrol over the boy, but did not expect the injuries to be as serious as they were.
