Robbery accused is denied bail again

A 37-year-old man alleged to have waved a 400mm Japanese-style samurai sword at a couple and threatened one person with a machete, was denied bail in Masterton District Court for a second time this week.

Police opposed the application for bail.

Peter Douglas Tapine, who admitted that he had been part of the Nomads gang, had been denied bail in December after Sergeant Garry Wilson told the court the complainants were "very concerned by the prospect of revenge".

Police allege that, at 11pm on October 20 Tapine, a presser, of Masterton and Jackson Huata, 47, unemployed of Masterton, arrived at the door of a Masterton house armed with a sword and robbed the couple living there. It is also alleged that as Huata shouted abuse and demanded money Tapine swung a sword.

During the burglary, Tapine was also alleged to have threatened to stab one of the complainants with a machete and the complainant had to use a pocket knife to protect himself.

It is alleged the pair robbed the Masterton couple of an AC/DC compact disc player.

However, lawyer for Tapine, Elizabeth Hobbs, indicated her client would be pleading not guilty to the charge of aggravated burglary.

In Masterton District Court on Monday Ms Hobbs proposed that Tapine be allowed electronically-monitored bailas her client had been in custody since November 2.

She told Judge Peter Hobbs that Tapine's father had travelled to Masterton on Friday to support his son's bail application.

She said the father was willing to take the defendant back to his home in Hawke's Bay and look after him until the trial which is expected to take place sometime late this year.

Ms Hobbs said she accepted her client had a long list of convictions. Tapine had 111 previous convictions and had served 52 sentences of imprisonment.

Sergeant Wilson said the complainants were "concerned [Tapine] will try to interfere with them and try to persuade them not to give evidence".

He said electronically-monitored bail didn't protect the public or stop the defendant from reoffending, it just informed the police when a person had left his or her designated address.

Judge Hobbs denied Tapine bail. He was remanded in custody to reappear on March 7.