Ric Stevens is a Multimedia Journalist specialising in Open Justice reporting at Hawke's Bay Today.
I have worked in journalism for about 40 years, including as a political reporter at Parliament and in senior roles at a number of daily newspapers. In the course of my career I have met 10 prime ministers and covered topics as diverse as riots, earthquakes and murder trials, among many other things. I stepped aside from daily journalism for a while in 2016 to complete a master's degree and then found myself working for four years on the front line of the criminal justice system, as a probation officer. This has helped inform my current reporting on crime and justice. I was delighted to be able to come back to journalism as a member of NZME's Open Justice team in 2022.
'Holy s***!': Violent gang member reacts as he learns how long his jail term is
Victims included an innocent householder, a prison guard, a policewoman and two inmates.
Mother of kidnapped girls: 'He has taken away innocence of childhood'
One girl who ran to escape returned to help her sister.
'Extreme and prolonged violence': Man punched, kicked as he lay prone on prison floor
Review by prison inspectorate is under way after gang-related assault.
Two axehead-shaped holes in front doors of courthouse, hearings delayed
Jurors and lawyers waited outside while broken glass was cleared away.
Callous, uncaring man 'became criminal' during sex with young woman
Woman did not know two men who picked her up and took her to a motel.
Mother ‘totally shattered’ after son beaten to death by Mongrel Mob associates
Police thank people who provided information as gang associates are sent to jail.
How one victim tracked down a burglar on a crime spree
A set of keys with a GPS fob attached was one of the items Layna Brown stole.
Hastings council fined after 200 cubic metres of wastewater spills onto highway
Court told Hastings council has had 25 other breaches since 2019.
Motorcyclist dies after unlicensed driver runs him over, then flees
Family's lives 'achingly quiet' after loved one's death, daughter tells court.
'Put down': Violent inmate stomps on duck after it landed in prison yard
The prisoner was charged with attacking the bird, which had to be put down.
Slain Mob boss had $230k in car when police busted meth-dealing ring
Daniel Eliu was shot dead outside a South Auckland church.
Girl foils sex offender by using his phone to save evidence and summon help
Stephen Wayne Beattie hid phone in girl's bedroom to make videos of her.
Man makes an obscenity-laden TikTok about victims after being released from prison
Stephen Elliot was originally jailed for assaulting them in a Salvation Army store.
'Gang overtones': Terrified occupants saw taser sparking in the dark as trio tried to break in
One of the victims has moved away, still fearful of the Black Power associates.
Some weeks their pay packets were empty - now they've triggered a court case over low pay
RSE pay deduction issues are likely to 'resonate' throughout NZ, lawyer tells court.
Man accused of murder of Javon Aranui named
Name suppression continues for a second man charged with murder.
Former Napier mortgage broker sentenced for falsifying loan applications
Natalie Ann Carter applied for seven loans totaling nearly $3 million.
'Catastrophic': Banned driver sped from cops before crashing into photographers
The forbidden driver who had earlier sped away from police faced several charges.
Man settles down, starts a family, then finds out Australia wants to extradite him
The man had travelled to and from Australia several times without challenge.
Packed public gallery supports two charged with Javon Aranui's murder
Judge grants interim name suppression to protect the two men’s fair trial rights.
Man says drugs were for own use - his safe password suggested otherwise
Drug seller claims money was from orchard work, building and pokies.
Miscarriage of justice: Boy, 15, spent nearly a year in adult prison
Mistake deemed a miscarriage of justice in first Criminal Cases Review Commission result.
Kmart robber was asked for receipt - so he pulled out a knife
“Do you want me to use this on you?” Satwinder Singh asked the employee.
'Feared for his life': Gang member robbed man after being out of jail for just a week
Hagen Henare had earlier been involved in kidnapping a woman for a gang boss.
Truck driver who refused Covid jab gets $29k for wrongful dismissal
Wayne Basher spent most of his working time alone in his cab.
Two teens charged with taking man's car and ram-raiding dairy
Teenage pair charged jointly with aggravated robbery, burglary and wilful damage.
'Spiritual' feeling of relief after disgraced former MP quits disputed property after 37 years
Property vacated after protracted battle in the High Court and Court of Appeal.
Man on $100k meth shopping spree used child's sickness to dodge Covid checkpoints
Little did he know, police had placed a listening device in one of his associate's homes.
Beneficiary busted with $16,500 - police seize cash under crime-proceeds law
John Te Aho, who has drug-dealing history, made 85 bank deposits totalling $117,000.
Mob associate laughed during fatal attack on Hawke's Bay teacher
Keontay Chadwick pleads guilty to Darcy Strickland's manslaughter.
Eight charged in crackdown on pokie machine 'corruption'
The offending gives the gambling sector a bad name, says Internal Affairs.
Teen sportsman's 'horrific' accident: Meat works fails to overturn $280k fine and conviction
Workplace accident ended young man's dream of playing sport overseas.
The Mob captain, the gambler and the prison ring controlled by a phone hidden in a toilet
More than 300 texts and 450 calls were made to smuggle drugs into prison.
'If you scream, I will stab you': Kidnapper threatened girls with screwdriver
The girls were not physically hurt but were emotionally traumatised after escaping.
What kids who commit serious crimes have in common
Haami Hanara, who was neglected and abused, knifed a man to death when he was 14.
Real estate agent wins court dispute over commission on $6.6m sale
Station was sold between brothers' trusts in a "family arrangement".
Brothers sentenced after attacking mum's murderer in court
The teenage twin brothers had never been in trouble with the courts before.
Five-year-old boy in hospital for a month after being struck by forklift in orchard
The company was fined $7000 over the incident, in which a 14-year-old was driving.
Babysitter filmed naked child, kept 2500 photos
Man took 18 videos of underage girl and used them to generate 2500 still images.
Mongrel Mob associate pleads guilty to murder of Darcy Strickland
One of the two accused admits the murder of a Flaxmere man described as a 'gentle giant'.
Seven years' jail for methed-up driver who killed a dad in high-speed crash
Drugs and a loaded pistol were found in Brydon Boyce's unregistered, unwarranted car.
Underpaid Havelock cafe manager didn't take leave for more than two years
ERA ruling allows staffer to pursue the owner of the cafe for $6000.
Murder at the Racecourse Hotel: Can a 90-year-old cold case be solved today?
Inspector clears up detective grandfather's unsolved cases.
Notorious gang member faces lengthy prison sentence after violent assault on elderly man
Mobster Puk Kireka kidnapped partner and attacked good samaritan.
Police raid several properties in meth ring crackdown
People arrested include patched members of the Mongrel Mob and associates.
'I miss her hugs, her kisses' - Mum of six stabbed to death in Napier sleepout
The man who stabbed Arohaina Henare to death has been jailed for life.
'Simply a favour': Drug dealer gets extra time for arranging meth delivery to jail
His lawyer says it was for another prisoner and the deal was not for profit.
Sacked council manager told to destroy documents he emailed to himself
A request for a tax form was 'demeaning' of his person and office, the manager said.
Bereaved father fails in private prosecution of forestry company over son's death
Richard Brooking is fighting for justice after his son was killed on the job.
Man denies kidnapping Havelock North children, elects jury trial
Police earlier alleged that the man coerced children into going with them before they ran.
'Tragedy from all angles': Baby died after being shaken by dad who was out of his depth in caring for newborn
Baby's mother: “I do believe in forgiving. It is just a process that will take time.”
Sprinkler activation closes Napier courthouse
Cases moved to Hastings, which has several courtrooms running.
Scammer fooled dozens in Facebook cons offering cars, phones
Victim says the bogus car seller 'seemed like a legitimate guy'.
'Cavalier': Company fined $52k for quarrying in wine-growing area
Gimblett Gravels is a designated wine-growing area west of Hastings.
‘How dare you put your hands on my missus:' Killer's words as he stabbed woman in chest
Killer of Napier woman Arohaina Henare pleads guilty to murder.
'I've killed my bro': Man gets home detention after mate falls off the back of ute
Group drinking before the accident but the driver was under the legal limit.
'Drinking from the age of two': Man jailed for violent assault at tangi
Court told that main aggressor had been drinking alcohol since the age of two.
Man, 72, gets 11 months' home detention for historic sex offending
Zane Hugh Smith appeared for sentencing for a third time.
Surveillance and GPS tracking foils gang's meth-dealing ring
Ringleader jailed for 45 months, but may soon be eligible for parole.
Man attacked in court dock after members of public scale 2m barrier
Security guards and a police officer struggled for several minutes to regain control.
Halloween horror: Driver drank and took drugs before killing cousin, injuring seven
One victim dead, one paralysed and one cannot remember the death of his girlfriend.
Man scams dozens of people selling cars that weren't his, earning thousands
Scam artist pays $50,000 to court after judge gives jail warning.
Man locked up after burglaries of cyclone-damaged home, campus
Benjamin Sorensen targeted a badly damaged house and tertiary campus.
Man choked to death by his neighbour had contacted mental health service about him
Days before Blithe was killed, he contacted mental health services. No beds were free.
Man charged with driving under influence of drug after fatal crash
Graham Louis Rouse, 76, died in the February road accident.
Small council wins Appeal Court case for higher rates for foresters
Forestry sector’s Wairoa rates burden increased from $1.59m a year to $2.79m.
Police clock teen driver at 188km/h
At that speed, he could cover the length of a rugby pitch in two seconds.
Man who poached 4600 crayfish for ‘sprawling’ black market ring jailed
Crayfish poacher apologised after abusing customary permit system.
Grieving father takes private prosecution against forestry company after son's death
The man, 24, was hit by a nine-kilogram D-shackle which came towards him "like a missile".
Jury discharged in faith healer's indecent assault trial
Alleged offences involved Pasifika women given 'healing' massage in 2019.
Faith healer said massages were on God’s instruction, but jury told they were sexually motivated
Nga Teiri gave 'unblocking' massages that prosecutors say were sexually motivated.
Man who breached home detention sent to prison
Court hears the detainee has stopped swearing at probation officers.
'Dad didn't make it': Family tragedy caused by meth-using driver who had been awake for four days
Son should have been celebrating his birthday. Instead, his father died.
Teen robber caught on child's secret video avoids going to jail
Disguised robbers were caught after a 10-year-old boy secretly took video of them.
Friends vow to keep murderer living 'in fear' behind bars
Ranapera Taumata killed his girlfriend. Her loved ones say he's a monster and a coward.
Teen killer walks free after murder conviction quashed, manslaughter admitted
Hanara was 14 when he knifed a homeless man, who died of his injuries at the scene.
'Whereabouts unknown': Chinese company lodges claim against Napier water bottling plant shareholder
Court documents detail allegations that commercial deal involved "bribery" in China.