Mount Maunganui brawl: 11th accused denies rioting, wounding and robbery charges

Te Koikoi Brown 25, from Bethlehem, denied four joint charges in the Tauranga District Court on Wednesday.

An 11th man accused of rioting, wounding and robbery offences after a brawl in Mount Maunganui is heading to trial.

Tekoikoi Brown, 25, from Bethlehem, pleaded not guilty to joint charges of rioting, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and aggravated robbery in the Tauranga District Court today.

The aggravated robbery charge related to an allegation Brown and two other men robbed another man of his vehicle.

Brown also denied a further charge of unlawful possession of an offensive weapon, namely knuckledusters, in public.

Brown, who has elected trial by jury, was people arrested after an incident on Maunganui Rd on June 21.

Ten other defendants previously denied the same two rioting and wounding offences, with nine electing trial by jury.

The 10 other defendants are Jesse Wiheti Fisher, 38, from Matapihi; Lake Kaimoana, 24, from Tauranga; Paul Frederick Carmichael, 44, of Brookfield; Teina Eremiha Matiaha, 35, of Mount Maunganui; William Grant Palmer, 42, from Matakana; Carlton Jon Paki, 36, from Pāpāmoa Beach; Tipene Guy Oti, 33, from Gate Pā; Maurice Te Barry Walker, 54, from Kairua; and Kereama Walker, 17, and Stacey Te Tatau Adam, 33, who are both from Bethlehem.

Kereama Walker and Kaimoana also deny joint charges of aggravated robbery; it’s undecided whether Kaimoana will have a judge-alone trial or a jury trial.

The teen and Paki have also pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

Adam is yet to enter a plea to a new charge of driving in a dangerous manner, also laid in relation to the June 21 incident.

Judge John Walker remanded Brown on bail. All 11 defendants are due back in court on September 15.