Aquatic Centre lifeguard faces man who tried to drown her in 'harrowing' attack

A lifeguard from the Gore Aquatic Centre on New Zealand’s South Island faced the man who attacked her in April when he appeared for sentencing in the Court last Wednesday.

Reading out her victim impact statement in the Gore District Court, the lifeguard said she could still feel his hands holding her under the water as she struggled to breathe.

McGregor Tioti Tume, aged 44, of Mataura, was sentenced to 10 and a half months of home detention, to be served in Whanganui, and with post release conditions for six months, when he appeared before Judge Jim Large.

Judge Large refused to allow Tume to serve his sentence in the Gore district, saying it was not appropriate.

As reported by New Zealand website Stuff, Tume admitted threatening to kill, impeding breathing or circulation, behaving threateningly and injuring with intent to injure after the incident on 16th April

The victim, who had moved to Gore from South Africa, said she had told her family she hoped they would be safe in New Zealand but the attack had left her fearful.

The victim told the Court “the pool was a happy fun place ... now it is also the place where someone tried to take my life. No-one should go to work worrying they are going to be attacked or killed.

“He walked out of the pool like he didn’t have a care in the world.”

Tume brought a letter of apology to the Court that says he was remorseful for causing the victim harm and he wanted to reassure her that New Zealand was a safe country.

Judge Large noted “I hope you mean those words and I hope the victim can take some comfort in them.”

In a statement after the sentencing, Gore District Council Chief Executive Stephen Parry said he “wished to express his high admiration for the stoic and courageous way in which our staff member conducted herself throughout this traumatic process, culminating in today’s sentencing”.

Parry continued “the attack on April 16 was harrowing to watch on closed circuit television. It is by some margin the most disturbing episode, in terms of a member of the public posing a threat to a staff member, I have witnessed in my 28 years working in the local government sector.’’

Tume was at the Gore Aquatic Centre at 9am on 16h April and was swimming in a lane which had been booked for use by a school group.

The lifeguard tried to gain his attention to get him to move to a different lane by touching him on the head with a rope, to get him to change lanes, which was accepted practice at the facility.

Tume’s lawyer, Sonya Vidal, said that Tume had been offended after the lifeguard hit him lightly on the head with a rope to gain his attention, because her actions were culturally offensive to Māori.

However, Judge Large said in the context of a swimming pool, it was a common way to attract the attention of swimmers.

Tume got out of the pool and raised his right arm as though to hit her, then grabbed the lifeguard and tackled her to the ground.

The Court heard that he dragged her into the pool and submerged her underwater.

According to the summary of facts, the lifeguard had not been able to take a breath and swallowed water in the struggle, and thought she was going to die.

When other people at the pool intervened, Tume lifted the victim, threw her further into the pool and told her she ‘’was lucky he let her go because he really wanted to kill her”.

The victim suffered a sore elbow and was still emotionally affected from the incident.

Image: The Gore Aquatic Centre, scene of the attack.