A man with 70 previous convictions has been found guilty of blackmailing a woman for the return of her father's ashes, found inside her $64,000 Mercedes he had stolen.
Douglas Ngatere Morris, 31, of Rotorua, was found guilty yesterday by a jury after a four-day High Court trial
in Rotorua on a charge of blackmail, car conversion and attempting to pervert the course of justice. He was found not guilty of assaulting a police officer.
The jury could not reach a verdict on a charge of burglary. Crown prosecutor Julie O'Brien has requested a retrial on the burglary charge.
On September 23, 2006, Morris stole Matamata business woman Joanne Prevett's new car from outside her Mt Maunganui holiday home, where she was staying with her teenage niece.
Their unit was broken into and a number of items stolen, including a cellphone belonging to Mrs Prevett's niece.
Two days later she began receiving text messages from Morris from her niece's phone, saying if she wanted her car back she would have to pay.
Mrs Prevett went to police who arranged a drop-off point. Morris wanted $10,000 to return the car once he found out Mrs Prevett's father's ashes were in the boot.
Two female police officers, posing as Mrs Prevett and her friend, met Morris for the exchange.
Realising he had been set up, he fled. His car, belonging to cousin William John Leathers, broke down. Morris then fled on foot. Police arrested him on October 4, 2006.
Morris arranged for Leathers to go to Tauranga police to report his car stolen, where he was arrested. Leathers pleaded guilty to his part in the extortion attempt at the Rotorua District Court in February and was sentenced to 250 hours' community work.
Justice Geoffrey Venning remanded Morris in custody to reappear in the High Court at Rotorua on October 24 for sentencing.
He is yet to plead on a charge of dangerous driving.
A hearing will be held on November 6 to determine if a new trial will be held on the burglary charge.
Morris was represented by Rotorua lawyer Jonathan Temm.
- DAILY POST
