Panguru fatal dog attack of Neville Thomson upgraded to manslaughter

Abel Wira in the dock at the Kaitāia District Court was first charged with owning a dangerous dog causing injury or death. Photo / Shannon Pitman

A man who was originally charged with being the owner of a dog that caused injury to a person has had his charge upgraded to manslaughter after a man died from allegedly being mauled by his pack of dogs.

Abel Wira, 59, first appeared in target="_blank">Kaitāia District Court in December 2023 where he refused to get in the dock and was held in custody in contempt.

Wira attempted to raise a defence of being “a living man” which was rejected by Judge Gene Tomlinson who warned Wira, that the charges he was facing were serious.

Wira was granted bail however Judge Tomlinson raised the issue then whether Wira had been charged correctly to which the prosecution advised, that they were looking into the charge.

On Monday, Wira was officially charged and appeared in the Kaitāia District Court, accused of manslaughter in connection with the death of Neville Thomson, a resident of Panguru.

Wira was boarding at Thomson’s home on Puketawa Rd and was listed as the owner of six dogs and 17 puppies that allegedly attacked Thomson who fatally died at the scene in August 2022.

The maximum penalty for manslaughter is a life sentence, whereas the maximum penalty for the owner of a dog causing injury is limited to three years imprisonment along with a $2000 fine.

Wira will next appear in the Kaitāia District Court on March 20.

Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.