David Bates: the lawyer, policeman, writer, and survivor of hard times

Weekend writer·Bay of Plenty Times·
11 mins to read
David Bates: the lawyer, policeman, writer, and survivor of hard times
David Bates. Photo / George Novak

David Bates takes a break from his laptop where he's working to defend a teenager on an assault charge, to read from a children's picture book.

He crosses his legs, readjusts his reading glasses, and his usually soft voice raises in pitch:
"Maestro McNibble, most mischievous mouse, lived next door to

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