Hawkes Bay Today
  • Hawke's Bay Today home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Havelock North
  • Central Hawke's Bay
  • Tararua

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Gisborne

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Hawkes Bay Today

‘You’re a different man now’: Ex-gang member’s rehab efforts keep him out of jail after he bashed rival

Ric Stevens
By Ric Stevens
Open Justice reporter·NZ Herald·
7 Jul, 2023 06:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

The attack happened outside the KFC in Heretaunga St, Hastings. Photo / NZME

The attack happened outside the KFC in Heretaunga St, Hastings. Photo / NZME

A man involved in a gang-related street attack has avoided a jail sentence after engaging in rehabilitation, getting off drugs and finding himself a job.

Charlie Paeora Whiunui appeared in the Napier District Court on Friday for a second sentencing hearing after being found guilty of aggravated robbery and assault with a weapon.

When he first appeared for sentencing six months ago, Judge Russell Collins adjourned the case to give Whiunui the chance to demonstrate his commitment to change and rehabilition.

The day before the January hearing, Whiunui’s co-offender Vinnie Freeman Herewini was sent to jail for three and a half years for the daylight attack on a rival gang member outside KFC in Hastings in October 2020.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Crown prosecutor Michael Blaschke had also sought a prison sentence for Whiunui.

However, Judge Collins told the court this week that Whiunui “has done everything I have asked of him” and had turned himself around.

He said that Whiunui’s life was “blighted” by drug addiction issues when he and Herewini, who were at the time associated with the Mongrel Mob, attacked Black Power member James Rivers, and took his hoodie in his gang’s colours.

“You are now sober and working to stay that way. That will be a lifelong challenge for you,” the judge said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Defence counsel Clint Rickards said Whiunui had left the Mongrel Mob.

Judge Collins acknowledged letters from Whiunui’s whānau and partner, who were in the court’s public gallery to support him.

He said Whiunui also had the support of a drug rehabilitation service and had contributed “significantly” to his marae, where the trustees were grateful for the work he had done.

He had found himself a job and was “doing well”.

“You, I am satisfied, are a different man now than you were then,” Judge Collins told Whiunui.

He sentenced him to the maximum penalty of community detention – six months – with a curfew from 9pm to 5am, and 18 months of intensive supervision, with conditions to continue his rehabilitative journey.

He also barred Whiunui from having or using alcohol or illicit drugs, banned him from associating with Mongrel Mob members for 12 months, and told him to work towards a full driving licence.

Judge Collins said the more restrictive sentence of home detention, which usually involves a 24-hour curfew, would complicate Whiunui’s employment.

Whiunui had spent 130 days in custody on remand.

The court was told earlier that during the 2020 attack, Herewini and Whiunui took turns to beat Rivers with the same golf club. Whiunui hit him about the head and Herewini struck him repeatedly with such force that the club snapped.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Rivers pulled a knife in response, cutting both his assailants. Herewini received lacerations to both arms and Whiunui was cut on his left cheek, hand and elbow.

The attack happened in full view of members of the public about 9.20 in the morning.

Rivers picked up his food order from KFC after the incident and did not co-operate with the police investigation that followed.

Ric Stevens spent many years working for the former New Zealand Press Association news agency, including as a political reporter at Parliament, before holding senior positions at various daily newspapers. He joined NZME’s Open Justice team in 2022 and is based in Hawke’s Bay. His writing in the crime and justice sphere is informed by four years of front-line experience as a probation officer.



Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Hawkes Bay Today

Mahia Hunt holds final fixture after marking 125th anniversary

10 Jul 09:05 PM
Premium
Opinion

The humour history of Don Martin: Wyn Drabble

10 Jul 07:00 PM
Hawkes Bay Today

Hawke’s Bay’s $100m private hospital finished after five-year build

10 Jul 12:56 AM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Hawkes Bay Today

Mahia Hunt holds final fixture after marking 125th anniversary

Mahia Hunt holds final fixture after marking 125th anniversary

10 Jul 09:05 PM

President Mark Munro said hunting on horseback remained strong in other regions.

Premium
The humour history of Don Martin: Wyn Drabble

The humour history of Don Martin: Wyn Drabble

10 Jul 07:00 PM
Hawke’s Bay’s $100m private hospital finished after five-year build

Hawke’s Bay’s $100m private hospital finished after five-year build

10 Jul 12:56 AM
Drive-through sushi restaurant opens at former Hastings petrol station site

Drive-through sushi restaurant opens at former Hastings petrol station site

10 Jul 12:00 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Hawke's Bay Today e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Hawke's Bay Today
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP