Tauranga JP appears in court

A Papamoa JP who once took a stand against vandalism after her house was burgled is accused of vandalising $3000 of donated paving stones intended to be used in a community garden.

Bridget Jane Pou, 61, faced a charge of intentional damage of flagstone pavers in the Tauranga Registrar's Court on Thursday.

The charge stems from an allegation that on March 29 Pou, helped by some other locals, damaged 10 pallets of paving stones donated and delivered by a local company to the Hartford Ave, Papamoa, community garden property.

The plastic-wrapped pallets of pavers were left stacked up on a shared right-of-way bordered by The Rock Papamoa Charitable Trust Garden.

Community garden founder Owen Takuira, 62, who lives next door to Pou, told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend the paving stones were intended to be used to create wheelchair access within the garden.

Mr Takuira said the pallets had been dropped off about 5pm and were damaged shortly afterwards before he had the chance to move them.

Mr Takuira said most of the pavers were smashed or badly chipped.

A neighbour told the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend that he had tried to intervene and stop the alleged "deliberate act of vandalism" and had offered to help stack the pavers. The man said police had yet to interview him.

Mr Takuira said: "This garden was built with love and passion after God told me to create a community garden almost three years ago. I've devoted two-and-a-half years of my life to it without wages.

"This community project is really important to me and lots of other people, and lots of businesses have donated materials, and services," he said.

Hartford Ave resident Liam Banbury, 22, said he and his partner had moved into the area a couple of months ago, and had started helping Mr Takuira in the garden.

"We weren't here when this happened but when we returned home I could see all the broken pavers piled up. Owen has worked really hard to create something positive in this community," he said.

Pou is yet to plead to the charge and is due back in court on June 12.

Outside court Pou declined to comment.

In 2005 the Bay of Plenty Times reported Pou was taking a stand against burglars after her home was broken into and organised a community meeting, and the following year was photographed admonishing taggers who had vandalised her neighbourhood.

One of the taggers had burgled her home the previous year.