During a sobering day in Hastings District Court in 2008, visiting judge Thomas Everitt slammed the Fruit Bowl for having ``the worst drink-drivers I have come across''.
Hastings was thus dubbed the ``drink-drive capital'' of New Zealand.
In the same courthouse a year later, another visiting judge, Michael Behrens, echoed that sentiment when sentencing a teenaged drink-driver.
``What's wrong with the place? People here [Hastings] drink to excess _ in excess of excess,'' he said.
One can assume the judges' broadsides have missed their target, going by the 60 convictions handed out for drink-driving in Napier District Court yesterday.
In this edition we've launched the first of a new monthly feature, in which, in conjunction with Eastern Districts Police, Hawke's Bay Today will publish the names of all those convicted of drink-driving.
That will include convictions in the courts of Wairoa, Napier, Hastings, Waipukurau and Dannevirke.
Policing manager Inspector Chris Wallace said he backed the initiative and hoped it would act as an ``additional deterrent'' to drink-drivers, ``many of whom believe they are above the law and that drink-driving is a victimless crime''.
The offence was still socially acceptable in many quarters, he said.
``Attitudes have to change if we want to stop killing ourselves on the roads.''
The new feature was also given the nod by the father of two students killed in Hawke's Bay's most notorious drink-drive tragedy.
Seventeen years ago, Lindsay Taiaroa's 21-year-old daughter Nikki, and son John, 19, were two of five students killed in a head-on collision with a drunk driver on the Takapau Plains. (See story opposite page).
``Naming offenders is fine by me,'' Mr Taiaroa said.
``It [list] will also highlight that there are still repeat drink-drivers out there, like the guy that killed my children.
``Any publicity about bad behaviour like that has to be of some good to the community.''
LIST OF SHAME
WAIROA COURT:
Terin David Taurima, 22,
unemployed, Hastings; David Eric
Hind, 41, retailer, Wairoa; Patricia
Anne Waihape, 22, waitress,
Wairoa; John Gemmell, 40,
unemployed, Wairoa; Tina Judy
Wilcox, 37, clerk, Wairoa; Miriam
Tuapawa, 46, beneficiary,Wairoa.
WAIPUKURAU COURT:
Louise Ruth Graham Grant, 24,
horse trainer, Ashburton; Dorian
Morgan, 22, meat worker,
Waipukurau; Scott Keith Johns,
20, unemployed, Waipukurau;
Steven Richard Barkle, 42,
freezing worker, Hatuma.
NAPIER COURT:
Soraya Mary Josephine Gray ,19,
unemployed, Maraenui; Harmony
Phillipa Ruth McGeorge, 24,
unemployed, Napier South;
Kereama Henare, 21, mill hand,
Maraenui; Scott Alan Hermansen,
39, brick layer, Taradale; Danny
Tama Porter, 37, leather worker,
Onekawa; Kapene Niko Karauria,
39, unemployed, Maraenui; Jacob
Carl Thompson, 32, butcher,
Raureka, Hastings; Turei
Tehorowai Crawford, 33, leather
worker, Pirimai; Haydon Philip
Downing, 22, driver, Pirimai;
Zoanna Jasmine Powell, 21,
trainee teacher, Hospital Hill; Hemi
Randy Watson, 29, forestry worker,
Onekawa; Rikki Merryn Terauna
McKenzie, 19, shop assistant;
Maraenui; Lynne Patricia Skinner,
57, retired, Bluff Hill;
Gareth Thomas Lewis Wilkin, 19,
electrician, Greenmeadows; Mason
Victor Baker, 35, loader driver,
Hastings; Chayna Te Hara
Matthews, 20, unemployed;
Maraenui; Tony Brian Bartling, 24,
carpet layer, Napier South; Tiwana
Riwai Aranui, 51, teacher,
Maraenui; Regan Bradley Wright,
18, unemployed, Tamatea; Paul
Trevor Aitken, 27, mechanic,
Eskdale; Dale Ingram Cromack ,
44, businessman, Clive; Mark
Andrew Flood, 59, carpenter,
Ahuriri; Suphin Khunphet, 32,
orchard worker, Saint Leonards,
Hastings; Peter Fredrick Bailey,
68, retired, Ahuriri; Bronson Rory
Patena, 28, not known, Marewa;
Troy David Fraser-White, 19, army
cadet, Tamatea; Wade Dean
Eliason, 28, plasterer, Ahuriri; Ben
Roger Burder, 34, painter, Bluff
Hill; Travis Dwayne Wallace-Joe,
18, not known, Onekawa; Fiona
Rae Zajonskowski, 19, cashier,
Bluff Hill; Kevin William Tekahu;
33, labourer, Maraenui;
Carolyn Renee Vanolffen, 29,
mother, Flaxmere, Hastings; David
James Lothien, 18, timber hand,
Pirimai; Saxon Zephry Pineaha,
18, unemployed, Maraenui;
Anthony Tahiwi William Evans,
17, labourer, Marewa; Ashley
Boyd, 33, unemployed, Taradale;
Somkiat Nopphrasok, 39, retail,
Akina, Hastings; Brendon James
Baggett, 20, orchard worker,
Greenmeadows; Phillip Strijdom,
25, factory manager, Taradale;
Christopher James Holloway, 24,
diesel mechanic, Onekawa.
HASTINGS COURT:
Tahi Mitai, 40, unemployed,
Flaxmere; Shane Jason Taunoa,
31, labourer, Raureka; Poihipi Hati,
27, fruit picker, Camberley; Tina
Marie Ryder, 42, bar manager,
Hastings; Stephen Raymond
Jeffers, 43, meat trader, Raureka;
Andrew Edward Wroe, 34, driver,
Rotorua; Melanie Ann Georgetti,
38, bar manager, Mahora; Dion
James Williams, 36, forestry
worker, Flaxmere; Joseph Hepri
Robin, 56, unemployed,
Camberley; Samuel Brent Carter,
33, not known, Waipukurau; Hera
Ripohau, 21, concrete worker,
Flaxmere; Ngalu Pailate, 20, not
known, Flaxmere; Tracey Marie
Pinfold, 19, student, Mahora; Urika
Zenobia Winitana, 18,
unemployed, Mayfair; Falefa
Rhoderick Faiumu, 30, vineyard
worker, Mayfair; Anthony John
Fredricksen, 21, unemployed,
Pirimai, Napier; Shannon James
Kelly, 30, plasterer, Parkvale;
Sonny Kawhia Newton, 23,
pruner, Omahu; Pauline Moriarity,
61, retired, Parkvale; Arthur
Woodward, 17, student,
Camberley; Nicola Faith Burden,
20, student, Waimarama;
Christopher Andrew Woodham,
36, wood stripper, Akina; Steven
Timothy Loader, 63, builder,
Pukemoremore; Tricia Thompson,
42, motel assistant, Onekawa,
Napier; Amber Rachel Cowley, 23,
unemployed, Mahora; William
Richard, 49, driver, Hastings;
Sanerivi Anasapi Mauigoa, 27,
leather worker, Mayfair; Mekitoni
Leha, 46, labourer, Parkvale;
Candice Joan Alton Cardie, 21,
receptionist, Flaxmere; Te Kere
Kani, 40, unemployed, Flaxmere;
Savelio Maka, 50, seasonal worker,
Flaxmere; Clinton Timoteo
Vaiusu, 17, student, Flaxmere;
Jesse Bryan Martin, 17,
unemployed, Parkvale; Harjit Jolli
Singh, 37, orchard hand, Hastings;
Tarryn Joanne O'Keefe, 22,
student, Flaxmere; Nathan Turoa
Carroll, 19, student, Flaxmere;
Zane Jaden Bosson, 22, chef,
Hospital Hill, Napier; Brett Alan
Smith, 19, curbside runner, Bluff
Hill, Napier; Leonard James
Emery, 50, beneficiary, Camberley;
Falefa Rhoderick Faiumu, 30,
meat worker, Mayfair; Robert
Munroe Waerea, 51, pruner, Clive.
DANNEVIRKE COURT:
Koro Jacob Maniapoto, 20, not
known, Dannevirke; Hirani
Ngaretta Baker, 60, not known,
Dannevirke; Awhina E-Hine
Nicholson, 32, not known,
Dannevirke; Roseanne Missi Kutu,
22, not known, Dannevirke;
Makayla Jody Abbott-Marsh, 18,
admin clerk, Dannevirke; Codey
Jared Yates, 19, farmer, Feilding;
Richard Rerepuhitai Harris, 17,
not known, Dannevirke; Ashley
John Holdem, 18, locksmith,
Dannevirke; Joshua Richard
James Kearney, 26, concrete
worker, Dannevirke.
DRINK-DRIVING IN HB: Infamy spurs aim to name
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