Disgruntled tenant avoids punishment for giving landlord a chemical burn

A disgruntled tenant who gave his landlord a chemical burn by pouring bleach into his shampoo has been released without punishment.

Aida Rolon, 29, appeared in Hutt Valley District Court this afternoon, where she pleaded guilty to poisoning with intent to harass.

He had been renting a room in his landlord’s house in Wanaka since October last year, but moved in late April due to “disturbances at home,” according to a summary of the events.

Judge Tim Black said in court today that Rolon and the victim’s mother, who also lived in the home, experienced a conflict during that time, which included incidents in which the other woman allegedly ruined Rolon’s clothing and other items. with “free use of bleach”.

“In effect, he has decided to get revenge by ruining something about her,” Judge Black said.

Before moving in, Rolon went to the shared bathroom and poured hospital-grade disinfectant bleach into the shampoo and conditioner bottles in the shower.

“You say, and I accept, that you didn’t really appreciate someone using that shampoo because you thought that as soon as someone put it on their hand, they would smell the bleach and know it had been tampered with.” Judge Black said.

But the owner didn’t notice the smell and ended up getting a chemical burn to his eye.

She had an underlying medical condition that left her with damaged nerves around the left side of her face, meaning she couldn’t fully close her left eyelid.

“Injuries to the left eye, which would be minor for most people, put the permanent vision of the victim’s left eye at serious risk,” said the summary of the facts.

The victim’s chemical burn was professionally treated for more than two weeks with an intensive ointment and antibiotics to save his eyesight.

“The eye has recovered successfully and there appears to be no long-term damage as the injury was detected early,” reads the abstract.

Judge Black said mitigating factors for the violation included Rolon’s prior good character, his guilty plea and his acknowledgment that a reparation payment must be made.

She said a conviction could put her at risk of deportation to her home country, Argentina, which carried the risk of contracting Covid-19.

The consequences of a conviction would be disproportionate to the seriousness of the crime, he said.

He fired Rolon without conviction, but ordered him to pay $ 400 in reparations to the victim.