A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
HAAMI Tutu admitted assaulting a woman by punching her when he appeared in Gisborne District Court. Tutu, who is awaiting trial in custody on another matter, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within the next 12 months.
A protection order was issued in favour of the complainant. It was not opposed.
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PEARL Tammy Rose Rutene, 25, admitted injuring with intent to injure and theft of property — a backpack and personal items valued at $460.
She was sentenced to 100 hours community work and 12 months intensive supervision. The property was recovered.
Judge Tony Adeane said he accepted the matter was complex but essentially Rutene stole the items from the complainant after luring him back to her home.
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ADMITTING that he chased a complainant with an axe, Robert Kirikiri, 32, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon. He was sentenced to 150 hours community work.
The judge said the matter was inherently serious. It occurred during an argument in which the complainant, with whom Kirikiri was acquainted, smashed a mirror on the porch of Kirikiri’s house.
The charge was reduced from one of assault showing an intent to use a weapon.
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ARRESTED for assaulting his mother, Te Urewera Tawhara, 21, then lashed at out police, the court heard.
He pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting police, common assault and possession of a bong. He was sentenced to 80 hours community work.
The court was told Tawhara, intoxicated at the time, threw his mother to the ground. Police were called and he lashed out, kicking an arresting officer in the shins.
Counsel Mark Sceats said the assault on police was not intentional.
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A NAPIER man initially charged with injuring with intent to injure pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of assaulting a female.
Timothy Scott Brown, 46, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within the next six months.
Counsel Vicki Thorpe said Brown disputed some of a police summary, especially a suggestion that he held the woman down on the ground with his hand around her throat. During the incident the woman struck him in the face with a wine bottle, causing an injury that required surgery.
Judge Adeane said he accepted there had been a two-way exchange, with both parties intoxicated. The woman might have struck Brown first but his plea to the charge meant a defence of self-defence was not available.
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RACHEL Ann Bary, 48, food processing worker, appeared on a charge of assaulting police.
Her counsel sought a fine for the offence, which Bary admitted, but Judge Adeane said, “we don’t do fines for those who assault police”.
She received 80 hours community work.
The court heard Bary, intoxicated at the time, was abusive to a taxi driver before the assault.
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A WOMAN lashed out when her former partner left their two-year-old daughter alone in the dark on her front doorstep after an access visit, the court heard.
Ethel Ann Kowhai Hollis, 36, health care assistant, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within six months.
She admitted pursuing and punching her former partner. Counsel Mirize Prinsloo said Hollis was overcome with anger when she heard the child crying outside.
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A MAN reoffended despite two prior warnings from the Ministry of Social Development for not informing it of times when he was working.
Because of his omission, Nicholas Bevan Dahm wrongly received about $9500, the court heard.
He was sentenced to 100 hours community work and ordered to keep making repayments, which he had already begun.
He made similar omissions and received warnings from the ministry in 2002 and 2005.
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ALAN Brian Walsh gained nearly $10,000 in benefit payments to which he was not entitled by failing to advise the Ministry of Social Development that he was employed.
He was sentenced to 100 hours community work. Walsh had already begun making repayments at $50 weekly.
Paul Jarrad White, 35, courier, admitted breaching a protection order by sending text messages. He was convicted and ordered to come up if called upon within the next six months.
Counsel Jonathan Natusch said while unwanted by the complainant, White’s former partner, the texts were not threatening. He had no previous convictions.
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JAMES William Hurlstone, 56, pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and a pipe for it. He was remanded on bail for sentence on January 13.
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A WOMAN who repeatedly breached community work had shown herself to be hopelessly non-compliant and the sentence needed to be cancelled, Judge Adeane said.
Alice Mary Hollis, 19, was instead sentenced to three months community detention.
Some might think that community detention was not terribly harsh, but Hollis would be jailed if she failed to comply with it, the judge said.
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PIRI-Waata Te Iringa admitted breaching community work. He was convicted, ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within the next six months and warned to complete the hours.
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AWHINA Mokomoko admitted breaching community work and a review of the previously-imposed work sentence was granted. Mokomoko was instead fined $300 to be paid at $50 weekly. The balance of the work sentence was cancelled.
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TANIA Ngahere Harrison, 39, pleaded guilty to driving with excess breath-alcohol (764mcg) for the third or subsequent time and driving while her licence was revoked. She was sentenced to 150 hours community work and disqualified for a year and a day.
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REWETI Ruka Waikari, 46, plasterer, pleaded guilty to refusing to give a blood specimen, a third or subsequent offence, the most recent of which was 20 years ago.
Waikari was fined $600 (costs $130) and disqualified for six months.
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KAZIUS Collier-Delamere, 24, forest worker, admitted driving while disqualified for the third or subsequent time and giving false details. He was sentenced to 40 hours community work with no further disqualification.
The judge noted the disqualification had been imposed some time ago and had since expired.
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JEWELLE Hiki Brown, 35, pleaded guilty to refusing to give a blood specimen, a third drink-drive type offence for her.
She was sentenced to 100 hours community work and disqualified for a year and a day.
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CHAYDE Maria Gerrard, 28, admitted driving while her licence was revoked, a third or subsequent offence. She was sentenced to 40 hours community work with no further disqualification.
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ROBERT Thomas Legge, 27, pleaded guilty to driving with excess breath-alcohol (773 mcg), a first offence. He was fined $600 (costs $130) and disqualified from driving for six months.
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HENRY Bryce Thoresen, 21, labourer, admitted driving while his licence was suspended. He was discharged without conviction with no disqualification. The judge noted Thoresen was still subject to an earlier disqualification.
Thoresen said he drove in order to visit his father who was unwell in Wairoa.
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MOEKE Kupenga, 32, pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified. He was sentenced to 40 hours community work with no further disqualification.
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