Buckets used by Hamilton District Court staff as they battle internal flooding

People gather outside the Hamilton District Court this morning after it was shut due to flooding. Photo / Belinda Feek

Staff at Hamilton District Court frantically used buckets to try to catch water pouring down through the ceiling of the top floor of the building early today.

The flooding has been so bad that the water has seeped down to the court’s main level 3, which houses four courtrooms.

Addressing the issue this morning, Judge Noel Cocurullo, the executive judge for the Waikato district courts, said it was unclear when the building would be back to full operation.

It was understood that some cases involving an audio-visual link were being dealt with by late morning, while a second High Court room might be used as a sentencing court this afternoon.

However, this afternoon, the Ministry of Justice confirmed the court will return to normal operations on Wednesday.

Judge Cocurullo is overseeing a jury trial of a Hamilton businessman, which has been transferred across to the High Court as it now begins its seventh day.

The businessman is defending six charges relating to alleged misspending of company money, used to pay off his personal loan and buy personal items including weedkiller, a spray unit, a toastie maker and Hush Puppies shoes.

In total, the man, whose name and identifying details are suppressed, is alleged to have unlawfully obtained $111,079.80.

Meanwhile, Judge Cocurullo told the court that he was alerted to the District Court’s flooding by ministry staff early this morning, given his role as the executive judge.

“I received advice from the manager of the Hamilton District Court that water was pouring through the level 4 ceiling.

“It was, as best as the hardworking management and staff could do, captured in buckets that were being emptied and put out again.

“The water is coming through the ceiling and has not only made its way down from level 4 but to level 3.

“The significance is not only the water damage, but, more importantly, the water is coming through the ceiling. It’s clearly coming through electric light fittings.”

The decision was made, given the potential risk to court users, to close the building.

This has left many people who turned up to the court this morning turned away or left to wait until further instructions.

Prisoners, meanwhile, were able to be kept in the court’s cells on the bottom floor, while duty solicitors were talking to clients outside.

However, having inspected the damage himself, Judge Cocurullo said that a “fix is some time away”.

The judge said the cause of the leak was yet unknown, however, NZME understands the leak had been stopped by about 9.30am.

NZME also understands a plumber was in the building sorting out an issue last week.

The ministry’s deputy secretary of corporate services, Kelvin Watson, described the leak as “major”.

He also confirmed the leak came from the water reservoirs on the roof of the court.

“Water has flooded public areas on level 4, 3, and 2, causing damage to lighting and ceiling tiles.

“The courthouse is safe to use while the damage from the leak is being repaired.

“The public counter remains open.”

Court hearings were continuing “where possible”, although some matters would need to be adjourned.

“The exact cause of the leak is still being investigated.”

It follows the closure of the Nelson courthouse in February for several months after the building was deemed to be an earthquake risk.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for 10 years and has been a journalist for 20.