Charge amended

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 12, Issue 550, 23 August 1994, Page 11

Charge amended

Kenneth Kortahitanga Mareikura, 41, labourer of Ohakune was to have appeared for a defended hearing on a charge of assaulting a female after pleading not guilty last month but when the charge was amended to one of common assault he changed his plea to guilty. He had earlier pleaded guilty to a charge of trespass. The change arose out of an incident in the Summit Rar of the Ohakune Hotel on 21 May when some friends of defendant brought a full bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey into the bar, placed it on a table and proceeded to drink from it. Counsel Paul B rown said that Mareikura had had nothing to do with the bringing in of the bottle or drinking from it but when bar staff approached to say that they were not allowed to consume the contents of the bottle while in the bar an altercation took place. Even at this stage defendant was not involved according to counsel but when a disparaging remark was made about his wife he did get involved both verbally and physically with the result that a scuffle took place and he was asked to leave the premises. According to the prosecution he "head-butted" a female member of the bar staff but this was denied by counsel who said his client had merely bent forward and accidentally came into contact with the complainant. When he refused to leave the premises despite being asked to do so several times the police were called and another scuffle took place. Before Mareikura left the dock Judge Watson asked what age the female bar staff member (who had been assaulted) was. When told that she was 23 Judge Watson remarked: "How incredibly brave you were to head-butt a 23-year old girl". Mareikura, who has already been issued with a two-year trespass notice by the Ohakune Hotel management, was convicted and sentenced to 200 hours community service.