OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 449, 18 August 1992, Page 13

OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

The following cases were heard by Judge Edward Ryan of Palmerston North in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday. Sergeant Bob Evans of Ohakune appeared for the police prosecution. Four driving charges Barry Wayne Snowball, 29, labourer of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to four charges relating to drink-driving offences ip Ohakune on the night of 1 August. The charges were: dangerous driving; causing damage to a Ford Falcon motor vehicle the property of the NZ Police; driving with excess breath alcohol; failing to stop. Court Jieard how defendant's driving had attracted the attention of a police vehicle which used its flashing lights.to signal defendant to stop. Instead, defendant accelerated and was followed by the police vehicle from Lee Street through Miro Street and Thames Street to Railway Row where he crashed into the police vehicle causing $264 damage. On the charge of driving with excess breath alcohol (900/1) he was convicted and fined $800, court costs $95. On the dangerous driving charge he was convicted and fined $300, court costs $95. On the charge of causing damage to a police vehicle and faihng to stop after an accident he was convicted and ordered to make reparation of $264. Defendant was disqualified from driving for 9 months on all charges. Counsel: Paul Brown. Another remand on bail Stephen Hoani Brown, 21, forestry worker of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to four charges. They were: causing intentional damage to a window at the Powderkeg Inn on 28 June; taking a 4WD farm bike valued at $7,000 the property of Neil Whale on 2 August; taking a Honda Prelude motor vehicle valued at $9,500 the property of Richard Lindsay on 2 August; escaping from the lawful custody of police constable Wayne Streeter

of Ohakune. Three of these offences occurred while defendant was on bail following his last appearance in Court in July. After expressing - through his counsel Mr Paul Brown - a desire to voluntarily undertake some alcohol and drug counselling in Waiouru he was again remanded on bail to .appear in the Ohakune District Court on 10 September. Conditions of his bail were the same as those set last month: that he should reside at home; observe a curfew; and not enter any licensed premises. Defendant was wamed that if he offended in any way again before his next appearance he would go straight to jail. Recklessly discharging firearm Larry Taituha Tahana, 33, shearer of Raetihi, pleaded guilty to charges of recklessly discharging a shotgun, being in charge of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol and causing intentional damage to the doors of the Ruapehu Hotel in Raetihi. All offences related to a series of incidents on the night of 5 June when, after driving his car from the hotel he parked it temporarily in the middle of Seddon Street. He then drove it back to the hotel and into the doors. He then retumed to his home address where he fired 20 shots into the vehicle. He admitted he could not account for his actions and that "it was a stupid thing to do". He was convicted and remanded for a probation officers report and sentence to 10 September. Counsel: Paul Brown Assault on female A 33-year old Ohakune bushman was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence within one year if called when he appeared on a charge of assaulting a female (his wife) on 25 June. Judge Ryan told defendant that violence was an unacceptable response to any behaviour whatevei the circumstances. Counsel: Paul Brown

"Full knowledge" Jason Myles Hern, 23, unemployed of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to a charge of allowing premises to be used for an offence against the Misuse of Drugs Act on 28 June. Court heard how several party guests had smoked cannabis cigarettes though defendant had not himself been smoking. However, Judge Ryan told defendant that he must have had "full knowledge" of what was happening at his house that evening. Defendant was convicted and fined $100, court costs $95. Counsel: Brian Mason Over the limit Richard Kane Horne, 25, casual worker of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol (500/1) on Ruapehu Road, Waiouru on 30 June. He was convicted and fined $600, court costs $95, and disqualified for 6 months. Took vehicle Richard Craig Taura, 18, unemployed and Pierre Ian Todd, 18, unemployed and both of Raetihi were remanded without plea to appear again on 10 September to answer a charge of taking a 1973 Holden motor vehicle valued at $ 6,000 on 18 July. A third alleged cooffender, Gene Henare, 18, also of Raetihi did not appear. Defendant Taura was also to face a charge of being in an enclosed yard unlawfully in Tauranga on 16 July. He was to have appeared in the Tauranga District Court but did not do so. Counsel for Taura: Paul Brown. Elects jury trial Frank Francis Matangi, 35, unemployed of Mangere, Auckland, elected trial by jury when he appeared on a. charge of making a Molotov cocktail and fire-bombing a Datsun twin-cab utility belonging to a security agent in Ohakune on 28 June. He was remanded to the Taihape District Court on 27 August for a

depositions hearing date to be set. Counsel: Brian Mason. Diversion forfeited Marianne Tessa Paul, 1*8, unemployed of Ohakune, had forfeited the opportunity of diversion (in which case, as a young first offender, she would not have had her name or details of the offence published) by not reporting to police as she was required to do. Because she had failed to report since the offence occurred seven weeks ago, police no longer considered her suitable for Diversion. Defendant was charged that on the night of 28 June she had caused intentional damage to a police vehicle by throwing stones at it during a disturbance outside the Powderkeg Inn.

One of the stones had broken a rear door window valued at $85. Defendant was remanded at large with a view to being discharged if she fulfilled two conditions before her next Court appearance on 10 September. These are that she should pay reparation of $85 and write a letter of apology to police expressing regret for her actions. Disqualification and fine Shaun Bruce McComb, unemployed of Ohakune, was convicted and fined $600, court costs $95, for driving with excess breath alcohol (600/1) in Old Station Road, Ohakune, on 5 July. He was disqualified from driving for 6 months. As a first offender on

this charge Judge Ryan said he hoped that defendant had learned from the experience. No NZ driving licence Meryn Fielding, 32, recreation officer of Ohakune, was charged with driving with excess breath alcohol (500/1) and not being the holder of a current New Zealand licence. Court heard that defendant, who had recently retumed to New Zealand with an overseas licence, had not obtained a NZ driving licence. Through counsel he told the Court that he had been returning home after watching a live rugby league match at a friend's house when he was stopped (because his car had no rear light) in Shannon Street, Ohakune, and breath tested. He was convicted and

fined $700, court costs $95 and disqualified for 8 months. Counsel: Paul Brown. Driving while disqualified Arlo Murray Selby, 19, restaurant worker of Auckland, pleaded guilty to one charge of driving while disqualified and one charge of providing false information. Court heard how defendant, when stopped in Stanley Street, central Auckland, on 3 April,* he had given three false names to the traffic officer before admitting to his own name. He was, at that time, a disqualified driver. On the driving while disqualified charge defendant was convicted and sentenced to 50 hours community service but no further period of disqualification (due to expire on 7 September) was imposed because "I get the impression from the way you have presented yourself that you will be more responsible in future", said Judge Ryan. On the charge of providing false information defendant was convicted and discharged. High breath alcohol reading Henry Te Huia, unemployed of Tangiwai, was convicted and sentenced to 90 hours community service and disqualified from driving for 8 months after pleading guilty to a charge of driving with a breath alcohol level of 900/1 in Tay Street, Ohakune, on 4 July. Defendant explained that he had been drinking at an after-match function at the Ohakune-Karioi rugby clubrooms in Rochfort Park.