Son pays tribute to father who died after martial-arts style kick to head 

Anthony Michael Kelly, originally from Monasterevin, Co Kildare, died 10 days after the assault last year.

The son of an Irishman who died in New Zealand after he received a “martial arts style” kick to the head has said he will never be able to hug his father or tell him he loves him again.

Anthony Kelly, 61, originally from Monasterevin, Co Kildare, was assaulted in Ballantynes at Christchurch Bus Exchange on October 18 last year.

He was in hospital for 10 days before he passed away.

His attacker, Mark Nagel, 19, was given a two-year sentence in prison by Justice Rachel Dunningham at the Christchurch High Court on Friday.

The teenager had pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Kelly’s son, Ryan, said at 21 he should have been enjoying his life but instead he had kept a bedside vigil beside his father hoping he would wake up.

He said he was suffering from flashbacks after watching his father pass away and that following his death, he would get home from work and sit in his car and cry.

He said, “a part of me will be broken for the rest of my life”.

He described how Nagel’s “cowardly actions” had ripped his father away from his family.

“In my opinion, whatever you do with your life will never come close to the pain and suffering you caused,” he said.

My father was a good man who loved life and had fun. I am proud to be his son.” 

Mr Kelly’s brother said he had waited a long time to face the killer.

His statement was read by the prosecutor, while he stared directly at the accused in the dock.

It read: “What you did will be with you for the rest of your life. You will never escape it.” 

Mark Nagel in Christchurch High Court 17 Ocotber 2023 where he was sentenced to two years imprisonment for the death of Anthony Kelly  Picture: New Zealand Herald 

Followed by gang of youths

The court heard Mr Kelly was attacked by a group of youths who followed him after they believed he had taken pictures of them on his phone.

Mr Kelly hit out in self defence, but he was kicked in the shin before Nagel walked through the group and kicked him in the face using a “martial arts style kick”.

Mr Kelly fell to the ground and hit his head on a pavement before the group fled the scene.

The court heard Nagel high-fived his friend who had kicked Mr Kelly in the shin and they both left on different buses.

CPR was performed on the victim before he was rushed to hospital, however, Mr Kelly died 10 days later after the family made the “heart-wrenching” decision to turn off a life support machine.

A third victim impact statement, written by Mr Kelly’s former partner, said she was heartbroken as she would never have the opportunity to reconcile with him.

She said he died thinking she hated him when in reality she loved him.

Crown prosecutor Mitch McLenaghan said audio from the attack, which was filmed, was “utterly chilling” and Mr Kelly was significantly outnumbered.

Lawyer for the accused, Trudi Aickin, said her client wished to apologise to them for the harm he had caused and wanted to face them in a restorative justice meeting.

Nagel would have to live with what he did for the rest of his life and was focused on changing himself, she said.