Whangārei man Reg Hauwai jailed for assault at Ōtangarei Superette

Reg Hauwai caused $4500 damage to the Whangārei shop by throwing the victim around while assaulting him.

A man visiting a neighbourhood convenience store to pick up supplies was left with serious injuries after being violently attacked by a stranger. .

The victim was punched, kicked, kneed in the head and tossed around the store after a disagreement with Reg Hauwai at the Ōtangarei Superette this year.

Now, Hauwai has been sentenced in the Whangārei District Court on one charge each of injuring with intent to injure, wilful damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

Hauwai’s offending started in February when he was pulled over and found with a large knife that he had no reasonable excuse for having in his possession.

Then on March 12, 2025, the 37-year-old was shopping at the Ōtangarei Superette on William Jones Drive in Whangārei.

The victim, who was unknown to Hauwai, was also in the store, and a disagreement broke out between the two.

Hauwai struck the man in the stomach with a right leg kick before punching him several times in the head. He then placed his hands behind his head and began kneeing the victim in the head.

Hauwai lunged forward and head-butted the man. He then pushed him against the wall and punched him in the face several times before throwing him to the ground.

The victim got to his feet, but Hauwai pushed him into some shelves and when he fell to the ground, straddled him and placed him in a headlock.

The assault ended only when members of the public intervened.

According to a victim impact statement read to the court, the man suffered multiple injuries to the face, neck, head, chest and ribs. He also suffered significant blood loss and has been struggling to find work since the incident.

Defence lawyer Jarred Scott said that the day Hauwai was arrested, he was scheduled to begin Phil Paikea’s Safe Man, Safe Family programme.

Scott said Hauwai was motivated to make changes because his partner had given him an ultimatum: choose the methamphetamine or his family.

“This is a man who is ready for the court to take a chance on him, ready to take advantage of the opportunities of a possible sentence of supervision and ready to do the work,” Scott said.

Police prosecutor Grant Kenny said it was a prolonged assault that caused $4500 worth of damage to the store.

“This is just another occurrence for him,” Kenny said.

“The only outcome we could have here is another sentence of prison.”

Judge David Laurenson, KC, noted Hauwai had only three convictions for violence dating back to 2006, but a lengthy history of non-compliance.

The judge acknowledged Hauwai had made several applications to enter rehabilitation facilities and sentenced him to 12 months’ imprisonment.

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.