Far North news in brief: Parking fines up; assault charge and psychedelic psychosis

‘‘Arrogant’’ people who illegally park in a disabled spot in the Far North will be hit with a fine of $750.

Disabled parking fines

Drivers who misuse Far North mobility parking spaces will face a fine of $750 – up from $150 – as part of central government’s changes to infringement fees.

The new fees from October 1 are the first increases in parking infringement fees in two decades. Fees for towing and impoundment are also rising in line with inflation.

The coalition Government’s Disability Issues Minister Louise Upston said the increase for wrongly parking in a disability parking space reflects the seriousness of the offence, describing those who misuse disability spaces as “the epitome of arrogance”.

Nearly 40 parking infringements will see fines increased including overstaying in a parking area, parking without due care and attention, parking a non-electric vehicle in an area for charging electric vehicles, parking on a pedestrian crossing, obstructing an entrance or exit of a driveway, failure to dip headlights when the vehicle is parked, parking in a loading zone, and parking on broken yellow lines.

Assault charge

A man is facing charges following a report of a grievous assault in Moerewa on Saturday.

Police were called to a property at Taumatamakuku Cr at around midday.

One person received injuries but they declined medical attention, a police spokesperson said.

A 19-year-old man was arrested and now faces multiple charges, including injuring with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He is due to appear in Kaikohe District Court on Friday.

Psychedelic incident

A young Northland man is in a critical condition in hospital after a drug-induced incident in the Far North on Saturday. The man reportedly became heavily intoxicated after ingesting a psychedelic drug, a police spokesperson said.

About 4pm in the seaside community of Cable Bay, the man allegedly damaged vehicles with members of the public inside in two separate incidents.

“Thankfully nobody was hurt, but this was a terrifying incident for the victims who had their cars damaged while they were inside,” the police spokesperson said. “It has also been distressing for the man’s whānau.” The man was flown to hospital in a critical condition.

Copper thieves

Two alleged burglars weren’t able to spout off from a construction site in Waitangi on Wednesday.

The pair were arrested after extensive patrolling by police. Mid North response manager Senior Sergeant Mark Barratt says the initial burglary was reported around 4.25am.

“A frontline unit attended the construction site on Tau Henare Drive and found copper piping had been removed from the site,” he said.

“The stolen goods had been relocated outside the construction site with the offenders nowhere to be seen.”

That wasn’t the end of the matter for police, though.

“Extensive inquiries were carried out in the surrounding area by our staff. The two alleged offenders were found trying to conceal themselves underneath the Waitangi Bridge.”

The men swapped copper piping for steel handcuffs and both men, aged 35 and 47, will face the Kaikohe District Court on burglary charges.