Custody after beating wife, reckless driving

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 520, 25 January 1994, Page 4

Custody after beating wife, reckless driving

The following cases were heard by Judge Lynton Laing in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday. Police sergeant Bob Evans of Ohakune appeared for the prosecution. Custodial remand James Mannel Honana,

29, unemployed of Ohakune, was remanded in custody to appear in the Ohakune District Court for a probation officer's report and sentence on 24 February because, according to Judge Laing, the three charges will result inevita-

bly in a sentence of imprisonment from which, under the new Criminal Law Act, the custodial remand period will automatically be deducted from the subsequent prison sentence. The charges against Honana involved: assaulting a female (Daicey Honana); reckless driving on Goldfinch Street, Clyde Street, Miro Street and the Ohakune-Raetihi Road; failing to stop when ordered to do so by a police constable. All offences occurred on 20 December. The court heard that Honana severely beat his wife following an argument. He punched her about

the face and head and while she was on the ground, stomped into her face. The beating stopped when the complainant' s sister, called by. Seeing what had occured, she coaxed the complainant into her car and they left the address, intending to go to a doctor. Honana pursued them in another vehicle and drove at speed through the Ohakune New World carpark before braking heavily and sliding into Clyde Street. He caught the other vehicle up at the BP Garage intersection and as they turned into Raetihi Road, he deliberately drove into the rear of the other

vehicle and began shunting it along Raetihi Road. The vehicles collided at least three times in this incident. The driver of the other vehicle then drove behind the BP Garage and along the service lane around the premises back onto the forecourt. The defendant pursued them in his vehicle and again purposely rammed the other vehicle, spinning it 180 degrees before both vehicles came to a stop. The defendant left his vehicle and ran to the other car's front passenger door, where his wife was seated, and tried to open it, yelling and screaming as he did so.

The complainant' s sister managed to get her car started and drove off the forecourt and headed for the Police Station. The defendant ran to his car and was about to give chase but the driver of a large stock truck, who had witnessed the incident, drove into the intersection between the two vehicles and prevented the defendant from following. Honana then sped up Miro Street. A police constable in uniform who was unaware of the previous events, came out of the council building and saw the defendant coming towards him. He stepped into the the right side of the road and signalled the defendant to stop. The defendant. veered onto the other side of the road and the constable moved to the centre of the road and continued to signal for the vehicle to stop. The defendant continued to accelerate and the Constable had to leap out of the way of the speeding vehicle to avoid being hit. The defendant then turned into Conway Street and in doing so, crossed to the wrong side of the road, driving onto the grass verge. He then drove towards his home and at the intersection of Carters Terrace and Mangawhero Terrace, again at speed, missed the intersection and collided into a fence. He then drove home. The Police located Honana shortly after and although in a very distressed condition, he was not aggressive and assisted with enquiries. As a result of the assault, the complainant, who was very upset, was admitted to the Waimarino Hospital. Honana's driving upset many local people who witnessed the events. Counsel: Paul Brown. Remanded in custody Duncan Vincent Metekingi, 18, bushman of Raetihi, was remanded in custody when he pleaded not guilty to three charges including robbery, demand with menaces and unlawful possession of a knife.

The robbery charge related to an offence on or about 17 November when defendant stole a wallet and contents as well as a pair of black leather boots. On 18 January, while on bail, Metekingi is alleged to have demanded witlr menaces a hooded fibre jacket valued at $80 and to have had in his possession a knife in a public place without reasonable excuse. Through counsel (Paul Brown) Metekingi said he had entered a plea of not guilty because he had a good reason to be in possession of the knife a(nd the demand with menaces charge had arisen out of a misunderstanding with the complainant. Judge Laing said he would not accept this explanation as continuous public concern had been expressed about offenders committingcrimes while on bail and, under the new Criminal Law Act, bail should be declined in certain specific cases ..."and this was one of them". Metekingi was remanded in custody to appear in the Wanganui District Court on 27 January on the robbery charge and then, later to the Ohakune District Court, on the other two charges to be heard by another Judge. Two warrants for arrest Two warrants for arrests were issued when the following defendants failed to appear: □ Zane David Cadwallader, 30, farm labourer of Raetihi, who was to have answered a charge of driving while disqualified on the Ohakune-Raetihi Road (SH49A) on 30 September. □ Charles Henare Ariki Rapana, 19, unemployed of Wanganui, who was to have appeared on a charge of stealing a McCullogh chainsaw valued at $100 and with interfering with a Mazda 626 both offences having occurred on the night of 27-28 December. Remand for legal advice Krishane Hiroti, 27, unemployed of Raetihi, was Turn to Page 12