Man in custody after gatecrashing 80th party in Nelson and helping himself to cake

Open Justice multimedia journalist, Nelson-Marlborough·NZ Herald·

26 Feb, 2024 05:25 AM3 mins to read

The Boathouse on Wakefield Quay, Nelson, where a man gatecrashed an 80th birthday party and began eating the cake. Photo / Tracy Neal

A man is in custody after he gatecrashed an 80th birthday party by walking into the venue and helping himself to cake.

Jeremy Thomas Gantley also threatened the event organiser, staff and other guests enjoying the party at Nelson waterfront venue The Boathouse on Saturday night, before he grabbed a $15 Margarita cocktail and biked off down the highway.

It was the culmination of Gantley’s mini-spree of stealing food and drink earlier this month, including smoothies and gourmet pies.

The 40-year-old, described as having a “terrible methamphetamine addiction”, admitted charges in the Nelson District Court today of disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence, threatening behaviour likely in the circumstances to cause violence, wilful damage, obstructing police, theft under $500 and two shoplifting charges.

On the night of February 8, Gantley walked into a dairy in Tāhunanui and picked up two smoothies and a packet of biscuits which he put in his pocket. A staff member saw and asked for the biscuits, which Gantley then paid for, plus one of the smoothies, but walked out with the other.

Three days later, he walked into a Nelson service station and picked up two gourmet pies and two coffees worth a total of $23.80 before he left without paying.

Just before 8.30pm on February 24, Gantley was riding his bike in a supermarket carpark when he rode past a car, smashed the right front wing mirror and then waved his arm threateningly at a person in the car, who he also yelled at.

Minutes later, Gantley went into The Boathouse on Nelson’s waterfront, where an 80th birthday celebration was under way.

He walked over to the cake table, picked up a knife and started eating a piece of cake while stomping and “causing a scene”, the police summary of facts said.

The event organiser plus other staff and guests asked Gantley to leave, when he told the organiser, “Don’t come close to me or I’ll have you”, and then approached the organiser with clenched fists.

Gantley was then ushered out of the venue by guests and staff while shouting “next time, you die”. As he was leaving, he picked up a $15 Margarita cocktail, got on his bike and headed south along Wakefield Quay/State Highway 6.

Police said many guests then left the party as a result of the altercation.

Gantley was found near a bar in Tāhunanui and was arrested for threatening behaviour. He questioned why he was being arrested and then refused to get off his bike, despite being asked by police three times.

Gantley was then removed from the bike and taken to the police station.

He was convicted and remanded in custody for sentencing in late May.

His lawyer Rob Ord said it was likely that no address would be available for an electronically monitored sentence.

The total reparation sought is $147.

Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.