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Fair Go: Bar bashing leaves Christchurch man paying through his teeth for dental care

Neither ACC or the Ministry of Justice have given Michael much to grin about.

He was part way through his first beer when an aggressive stranger hit him by surprise - sending the bottle smashing into his teeth.

"I thought it was glass in the beginning, so I went to spit the glass out and obviously my teeth came out with a lot of blood."

Michael Burns literally had the smile wiped off his face - two of his otherwise perfect teeth were smacked out.

Michael had not long turned 18 - the start of the most expensive time for a person needing dental care. It's also a time when your mouth is still growing, so dental surgery for implants wasn't yet an option.

By the time he turned 21 he was self-conscious about a grin that he felt didn't belong in the AV section of the retail chain where he worked. And Michael was also unhappy at the efforts of the justice system to hold the offender to account.

"I just feel like they're trying to help him out more than they're trying to help me out."

The offender, Raymond Mangan, says that he didn't mean for the assault to be so serious.

"I just went to go slap him and f***en the bottle hit him in the mouth," he told Fair Go.

He was convicted on an injuring charge plus two other unrelated assaults and ordered to serve 15 months in prison and to pay Michael $11,000 for new teeth.

But the money came slowly and erratically even after he'd completed his sentence and started work.

Michael told Fair Go that getting an answer was not easy.

"He was ordered to pay reparations by the judge but when I called the Ministry of Justice last time they said it was a voluntary payment that he was making, which kind of pushed me over the edge."

A justice official told Michael the offender had breached the order three times. From the information provided, he looks to have arranged not to pay on 17 other occasions. Despite this, the official also confirmed that the ministry was not enforcing the order because the offender had set up an automatic payment.

The Ministry of Justice will not discuss the case with Fair Go but Group Manager of National Service Delivery Brett Dooley issued a statement.

We acknowledge and appreciate that it can be hard for victims when reparation is paid slowly or no payment is made. If people are concerned about their payments, they can call the court to discuss this further.

Mr Dooley adds that collecting reparation is a priority for the court and that payment of reparation is prioritised above fines and court costs.

The court works with offenders to set up sustainable payment arrangements so that payments towards reparation are made. We monitor payments and follow up if an offender does not pay the full weekly amount due or breaches their arrangement by making no payment. If this occurs we will contact an offender to set up a new arrangement, and if this is not possible further enforcement action can be taken.

Raymond Mangan has a theory he shared with Fair Go, based on his previous dealings with the courts

"Every time I've had to pay my fines before I went to prison it was always same amount going out every time.

"They're not so fussed about getting the whole amount if the money's not going to them."

The money is ultimately going to pay for dental care - which looks set to cost Michael several thousand dollars, because ACC will only partly cover the cost of his new teeth.

"If I lose a hand it's covered by ACC. Teeth shouldn't be any different, you still need them."

ACC said its scheme is intended to make care affordable not to cover the full cost.

Dental treatment payments under ACC are locked in by government regulations and have only risen by six per cent in the past 11 years.

Since then, the cost of living has shot up by 23 per cent.

Michael just wants any uncertainty about his smile removed, so he can get on with his life.

"Nothing about the way that this whole situation has gone makes sense."

If you have any hassles with reparations from a court order, the Ministry of Justice suggests calling 0800 909 909 or emailing Fines.Enquiry@justice.govt.nz.

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