Homeless Dunedin man demanded to be arrested

Andrew Kataina’Marii appeared in the Dunedin District Court after he demanded he be arrested, and was. Photo / NZME

A homeless man threatened to do “something radical to get arrested” in order to have a roof over his head for the night.

Andrew Kataina’Marii, 46, had a criminal history that went on for “pages and pages”, Judge Kevin Phillips said in the Dunedin District Court on Friday.

At 7pm on Thursday, the homeless man turned up outside the police station and began huffing glue from a plastic bag.

He was harassing members of the public as they passed by, so police took him to the night shelter.

Shelter staff advised the man he was not welcome back for six weeks because he had recently stayed there — as is their policy.

Kataina’Marii demanded police take him to Milton prison or he would “do something radical to get arrested”.

Police offered to drive the man wherever he needed to go, but there were no options available to him.

The man demanded to be let back into the police car because it was cold outside.

He punched the rear window and said “Let me in the f***ing car, you’re starting to p*** me off”.

“I’m sure you were p***ing police off,” Judge Phillips said.

Lawyer Liam Collins said the man had been experiencing his longest period of stability, but simply had nowhere to go.

“At least he will get healthcare and food if he is in prison, sir,” Mr Collins said.

The judge acquiesced.

“Living on the streets and sniffing glue again. You wanted to get arrested and you were successful.”

He encouraged the man to get “cleaned up and fed” in the “short, sharp shock” of the two-week prison sentence he imposed.

Kataina’Marii was convicted of disorderly behaviour.