Drunken Navy men terrorise household

Photo / Paul Estcourt

A Nelson mother huddled with her teenage children and a young friend in their home as they were terrorised by drunken Navy sailors from Auckland trying to smash their way in.

A frightened Felicity Hurst and son Amani, 17, daughter Shanti, 19, and Shanti's friend Eochaii Julian, 23, braced themselves against the doors of the lounge to try to keep the shouting invaders out.

Ms Hurst told the Herald she thought the drunken men might get in through the locked front door, after smashing its glass panels.

"I was pretty sure they were going to get in. And I just couldn't wait for the police to get there."

Police arrived within minutes and rounded up nine sailors nearby, including two who stand accused of damaging the family's home.

The Royal New Zealand Navy has apologised to the family for the incident, saying it is not immune to the country's binge-drinking culture.

The group of sailors, whose ship was docked in Nelson's port, were drinking at a pub next door to the home on Tuesday night last week.

The family were woken about 11.30pm.

Ms Hurst said it started with a hand reaching through her daughter's open window, prompting an exchange of words, before things escalated.

When Ms Hurst locked the back door, someone tried to get through it.

"Then they smashed my daughter's window, smashed my bedroom window, pulled the curtains, and tried to get through the front door."

"As soon as my window was smashed, I got up and went, 'What the hell was that', and then grabbed the phone and got everyone in the lounge, and just did the whole thing really, really quick," Ms Hurst said.

The motivation for the sailors' actions is unclear. The two accused men have personally apologised to the family, and repairs to the house and a car worth about $700 have been paid for.

The pair are still to face up to the military justice system.

Ms Hurst said she had accepted their apologies and wanted to eventually meet them face to face.

"The reason I have brought it to the [public] attention is it's just about looking at a culture that enables our young people to drink to that extent, and where's that duty of care?"

"These boys were just young, and I really hope they stay in the Navy, and I know they will disciplined," Ms Hurst said.

Defence Force spokesman Commander Phil Bradshaw would not speculate on what punishment the sailors might face.

He told the Herald the actions of the men went against the core values of the Navy, which took a "very dim view" of what had occurred.

"We are not immune to the binge-drinking culture and that sort of carry-on we see in society," Commander Bradshaw said.

"We take this sort of thing very seriously. And it's simply not acceptable."

Inspector Brian McGurk, of the Nelson police, said consideration had been given to arresting the sailors and prosecuting them in a civilian court.

However, it was decided that handing them over to face military justice was a "reasonable and appropriate" alternative given that their ship was due to leave port.

"We have every confidence the Navy will deal with the matter appropriately."

ON RECORD

November 2009: Naval ratings Sidney Walter McCann Junior Ranapia, 22, and Riki Percival Eriha Roberts, 25, are found not guilty after a five-day trial in Auckland District Court of raping and sexually violating a female colleague.
May 2009: Navy petty officer Bill Waa admits at a court martial a charge of assault after bear-hugging a pyjama-clad female sailor in her bedroom. He is sentenced to six months' forfeiture of seniority, a $300 fine, $500 compensation for the complainant and a reprimand.
August 2006: Naval rating Reo Te Whetu Marama Marsh, 19, is sentenced to be detained for a year and dismissed from the Navy after admitting charges that include kidnap, assault and threatening to kill