Pene Ravai loses licence despite avoiding conviction over violent “king hit”

A New Zealand security guard has lost his licence to work in the industry despite avoiding a criminal conviction, after a regulator found his actions crossed the line while on duty.

In a decision released in April 2026, the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority cancelled Pene Ravai’s Certificate of Approval (COA), ruling he was no longer suitable to work as a security guard following a violent incident while working as a crowd controller.

Ravai had held his licence for only about six months when the incident occurred at a Taupō bar in January 2025.

According to the decision, the incident began as a verbal exchange between Ravai and a man he had removed from the premises. The situation escalated when Ravai approached the man and struck him with significant force, knocking him unconscious for several minutes.

The Authority found the level of force used was disproportionate, noting the other person had not been physically aggressive prior to being struck. The action was described in the decision as consistent with what is commonly referred to as a “king hit” or “coward’s punch”.

Ravai later pleaded guilty to injuring with intent to injure but was discharged without conviction. The discharge was granted based on the potential impact a conviction would have had on his immigration status.

Despite this, Police proceeded with a complaint to cancel his licence, and the Authority confirmed that a discharge without conviction does not prevent disciplinary action where the conduct relates directly to security work.

Ravai did not attend the hearing and did not provide any submissions or evidence in response to the complaint.

The Authority determined that his actions amounted to misconduct and were inconsistent with the standards expected of a licensed security professional, particularly given that crowd controllers are trained to de-escalate situations rather than escalate them.

His Certificate of Approval has now been cancelled effective immediately, and he has been ordered to return his security identification within seven days.

This decision reflects the strict regulatory framework governing New Zealand’s private security industry, where conduct — especially while on duty — is closely scrutinised. The coordinated role of New Zealand Police in investigating incidents, alongside the oversight of the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority, continues to reinforce accountability, uphold professional standards, and remove individuals who fall short of the expectations required to operate in a licensed security environment. https://www.justice.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Decisions/2026-NZPSPLA-029.pdf