Paul Patterson O'Grady, 51, had been drinking at the Federal Hotel in Wellington from about 10pm on August 5 this year.

It was midnight when O'Grady approached a table where a co-accused and two other unknown men were talking.

O'Grady was talking to one of them before he punched another man causing him to go flying into a nearby chair and table before hitting the ground.

The other man asked O'Grady to leave when he grabbed him by the jumper pulling him toward him.

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Other people became involved in the incident when a brawl broke out, before it was broken up by onlookers.

During the interaction one of the co-accused had his black jumper ripped off him. At one point this co-accused ran over to the other co-accused and punched him in the mouth. When the man fell to the ground, he kicked him in the head and punched him to the head five times.

The man got up and attempted to rush at the co-accused but was held back by another man. The co-accused then grabbed another man by the throat while he attempted to push O'Grady out of the hotel.

O'Grady and the two co-accused men left and entered the carpark behind the hotel.

Police arrived a short time later and found a large crowd of people in the carpark who began to disperse on their arrival.

Officers spoke with one of the co-accused who had blood coming from his mouth and right side of his head, and told them he'd been "dog shotted" before refusing to tell police any further details and shouting out to O'Grady and the other co-accused "we'll sort this out tomorrow".

Police dispersed the crowd and requested hotel CCTV from the manager.

About 10 days later police attended O'Grady's home when he told them he couldn't remember a lot about the night as he was drunk. However he said he had tried to help one of the co-accused when they were "towelled up" by unknown people.

He said he was unsure who these men were as he was drunk and couldn't provide descriptions.

O'Grady appeared in Wellington Local Court last week where he pleaded guilty to a single charge of affray.

Defence lawyer Aaron Ryan told the court O'Grady had been at the hotel for a family gathering, when he was called a "dog", which he took "extreme offence to".

He said his client had remained composed, however had gone to the bathroom and returned to the table when the man repeated the insult.

Mr Ryan argued despite lengthy police facts his client's involvement in the brawl was "a single blow".

The court heard Stanley previously had a substance abuse issue, however had been abstinent since about 2004, and had not re-offended for 14 years.

Magistrate Kevin Hockey took into account his early plea and period between offending.

"People should be able to go to a hotel and not put up with blues breaking out and drunks carrying on," he said.

O'Grady was convicted and fined $1200.