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Home / Bay of Plenty Times

Matamata Filthy Few gangster Jay Beguely kidnaps and assaults man, flees police in Mount Maunganui

Sandra Conchie
By Sandra Conchie
Multimedia Journalist, Bay of Plenty Times·Bay of Plenty Times·
4 May, 2023 06:10 PM4 mins to read

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Jay Beguely pleaded guilty to nine charges in the Tauranga District Court. Photo / NZME

Jay Beguely pleaded guilty to nine charges in the Tauranga District Court. Photo / NZME

A gangster kidnapped a man and subjected him to a violent, prolonged assault where he threatened to “get the clean-up gear and a gun” and ordered the victim to pay him $5000.

Two weeks later, on Christmas Eve, police tried to arrest the Chrysler-driving Filthy Few member in Mount Maunganui traffic. He drove into an armed officer three times, rammed two vehicles then began a dramatic, high-speed evasion attempt through residential streets.

Jay Beguely, 33, of Matamata has been convicted on nine charges relating to the assault and chase after pleading guilty in the Tauranga District Court on Monday.

According to a police summary of facts, the kidnapping and assault victim was targeted in Matamata on December 13.

The victim was walking towards his vehicle when Beguely approached from behind and punched him in the head several times.

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The victim yelled for him to stop but Beguely told him “to be quiet or he would stab him” and ordered him to drive them to Peria Rd and park outside the Filthy Few gang pad in Matamata.

Believing his life was in danger, the victim complied but his assailant continued to punch him in the head with some kind of metal object on his knuckles.

The victim blacked out briefly when his head was punched, the summary said.

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Beguely threatened the victim, telling him, “I’m going to get the clean-up gear and a gun”. The victim “thought he was going to die”.

After about an hour of sustained violence and threats, Beguely said: “I should bury you but we need to sort out how we can figure this out”.

“You got until Monday [December 19] to sort me out. You owe me $5000.”

He told him to come to KFC in Matamata the next Monday, then left. The victim believed he would carry out his threats.

The victim was treated at hospital for his injuries.

Two weeks later Beguely, a suspended driver who was also subject to a parole recall warrant and was actively avoiding police, was spotted at the wheel of a Chrysler in traffic on Hewletts Rd, Mount Maunganui.

Police pulled up alongside him and an officer got out and signalled for Beguely to remain stopped and yelled out that he was under arrest.

The uniformed officer stood in front of Beguely’s car, “covering the defendant with a firearm”, the summary said.

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Beguely drove into his legs at least three times as the officer repeated his demand to get out of the vehicle as he was under arrest.

Beguely accelerated towards this victim, brushing him out of the way and almost squashing him against the car ahead.

The defendant rammed the patrol car and a second vehicle then sped off, going more than 100km/h in a 70km/h area and splitting lanes between two vehicles near Aerodrome Rd before swerving to avoid hitting the flyover concrete barrier.

He sped off down Maunganui Rd - where his right front tyre went flat when he hit a traffic island - then Tweed St, Valley Rd and Golf Rd.

His reckless driving included swerving around traffic, not giving way, cutting off a vehicle, narrowly avoiding hitting a cyclist, driving into oncoming traffic and doing more than 140km/h down Valley Rd with cars parked on both sides of the street.

As Beguely turned onto Golf Rd, he crossed to the wrong side and swerved right into the driveway of the Port of Tauranga Rescue Centre, skidding through its carpark and through an open gate into the grounds of the old bowling club.

He sped across the bowling greens and slid into a concrete retaining wall. Police were right behind him at this point and he took off on foot.

Beguely climbed a fence and ran through private properties where people were celebrating Christmas Eve.

He was arrested after being found hiding behind a power box on Oceanbeach Rd.

His charges admitted in court on Monday included aggravated assault (other weapon), reckless driving, driving while suspended, failing to stop for police, failing to stop to ascertain if anyone was injured and escaping police custody.

In relation to the Matamata offending, Beguely admitted charges of kidnapping, demands to steal with a weapon and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm with a weapon.

The wounding and kidnapping offences both attract maximum sentences of 14 years in prison.

Judge Melinda Mason convicted Beguely on all charges and remanded him in custody for sentencing on July 5.

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