Whangārei grandmother Mayleen Tuhiwai jailed for trying to derail son’s family violence charges

Mayleen Tuhiwai took her son's partner to the Whangārei police station to get her to change her statement. Photo / NZME

A grandmother who sided with her violent son instead of protecting his children has been jailed for trying to derail the case against him.

Mayleen Tuhiwai, 55, recently appeared for sentencing in the Whangārei District Court for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Tuhiwai’s offending followed a family harm incident involving her son and the mother of his children in February 2024.

After being arrested and charged, Tuhiwai’s son - one of her 10 children - made four phone calls from prison to his mother asking her to make contact with the victim.

Tuhiwai was recorded on all the phone calls agreeing with her son’s requests to take the victim to the police station and write an affidavit saying she had made up the allegations because she was angry.

Fearing for her and her children’s safety, the victim had gone into hiding but the mother managed to locate her at her son’s request.

Tuhiwai asked her to drop her formal police statement and even drove her to the police station in an attempt to write a new statement.

While at the front counter of the police station they were told to go away as the formal process does not allow police to drop charges, only the courts.

Tuhiwai’s lawyer Julie Young said her client felt constrained by her relationship with her son which made it difficult for her to refuse.

Judge Andree Wiltens was critical of the mother of 10 and said she should have known better.

“The young woman had been actively hiding from your son and trying to keep her children safe from your son because so far as she is concerned, he administers violence towards her and the children.”

“And you are those children’s grandmother and you’re preferring to help your son to try and evade the consequences of his actions for his benefit.

“It’s outrageous conduct from a woman who should know much better.”

Judge Wiltens said the magnitude of the woman’s offending was so serious, the only option was prison.

“Everything is recorded and there’s no getting away from it. You have been caught.”

Tuhiwai was jailed for 18 months.

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.