OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 678, 18 March 1997, Page 14

OHAKUNE DISTRICT COURT

The following cases were heard by Judge Lynton Laing in the Ohakune District Court last Thursday . Senior Sgt Ross Bielby of Ohakune appeared for the police prosecution. Remanded in custody Henry Te Huia, 27, garden hand of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to a charge of manufacturing cannabis oil. The charge arose following a tip-off to police who conducted a raid on Te Huia's residence on 1 1 February. When they entered the premises they noted a strong smell of cannabis and found abowlcontaining 100ml of cannabis oil as well as utensils used in the manufacture of the oil. They also found 1 .5kg of cannabis leaf soaking in a bucket of some leaching solution to extract the oil from the plant. In seeking bail for his client, defence counsel Wayne Heedegen said this was Te Huia's first offence of this kind. But Judge Laing, quoting a case from another court, said the offender on that occasion had been sentenced to three mQnths' jail for having the same amount of oil in his possession without the additional evidence of 1 .5kg leaf being prepared for processing into cannabis oil. In remanding Te Huia in custody until 10 April Judge Laing told Te Huia that he faced the prospect of spending up to three years in jail. Prison sentence suspended Krishane Hiroti, 30, unemployed of Raetihi, pleaded guilty to a charge of wilful trespass at an address in Queen Street, Raetihi, on 1 February. Court heard how Hiroti had entered the dwelling while the occupant was absent and he had consumed some alcohol before she returned. On her return she asked him to leave and, when he refused, she called the police who arrived and ordered him to leave. He again refused saying that he had been invited. He was then arrested. In considering sentencing options Judge Laing noted that while he did not preside over Court proceedings in Ohakune very often, on those occasions when he did, there were always cases of wilful trespass. He suggested that if more offenders were sent to prison for trespassing (as had occurred in Shannon some years ago) the problem would disappear as it

had done when his brother judges in the Palmerston North District Court had taken the same line. He told Hiroti that he wouldn't be sent to prison on this occasion but was given a final warning that, should he re-offend with a trespass charge within the next.10 months, a custodial sentence would be imposed. Counsel: Wayne Heedegen. Vehicle confiscation to be considered Romayne James Te Moana, 37, unemployed of Ohakune, pleaded guilty to two charges of driving while disqualified (on 13 January and 28 January) and to one charge of driving with an excess breath alcohol level of 649: 1 at Porirua on 25.0ctober last year. Both the driving while disqualified charges related to Te Moana' s driving on the OhakuneRaetihi Road, the second when he was stopped at a check-point. On one of these occasion he told police that even as an amputee (he has only one leg) he was still a better driver- even of a manualchange vehicle - than his female passenger. In considering the sentence which might be most appropriate for a repeat offender, Judge Laing noted that Te Moana already owed "hundreds of dollars in outstanding fines" and, because of his disability, sentencing options were limited. Te Moana was convicted and remanded on bail until 10 April to ascertain what financial interest he had in two of the motor vehicles he had been driving (a Lada and a Sunbird) with a-view to imposing a sentence of confiscation on either one or both vehicles as an alternative to a prison sentence. Counsel: Paul Brown. Surrendered keys and papers Joseph Hohepa Beckham, 39, market gardener of Rangataua, pleaded guilty to two charges of driving while disqualified while under a period of indefinite disqualification. The first driving while disqualified offence occurred in Rotorua on 2 March followed four days later when he was stopped in Mangawhero Terrace, Ohakune, his excuse being on that second occasion that he "had no other way of getting around". Judge Laing told Beckham that he must sujren-

der his vehicle' s ignition keys and ownership papers to the Court before noon that day (last Thursday) or spend a month in custody until his next appearance for a probation officers report and sentence on 10 April. Counsel: Wayne Heedegen. Twelve burglary charges James Robert Blake, 19, unemployed of Rangataua, was remanded for a pre-trial conference on 10 April to answer 12 charges of burglary. He was remanded on bail subject to a number of conditions: that he resides at Miharo Street, Rangataua, that he observes a curfew at that address between 8pm-6.30am daily, that he does not associate with Rikki Martin Surton during the remand period and that he reports to the Ohakune police station every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Counsel: Paul Brown. Not guilty plea Marion Donna Matenga, 20 of Raetihi, pleaded not guilty to a charge of hindering police in the execution of their duty. She was remanded on bail to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 1 0 April for a pre-trial conference. Counsel: Paul Brown. Excess blood alcohol Tanya Ruvae August, 32, former student of Hamilton, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with an excess blood alcohol level of 88:100 at 1 1.45am on SH1 in Taupiri on 2 December. She was convicted and fined $500, court costs $95 and ordered to pay medical expenses and analy st' s fees of $204. She was also disqualified for 10 months. Charged jointly Richard Craig Taura, 23, and Pierre Ian Todd, 22, jointly pleaded not guilty on a number of charges with which they were associated. The . charges against Taura were: assault on a female; aggravated assault on police. The charges against Todd were: assault using a blunt instrument; aggravated assault on police; assault with intent to use a weapon. They were remanded to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 10 April for a pretrial conference. Christmas cheer? Gena Rose Harris, 25, solo parent of Raetihi, pleaded not guilty to a charge of drink driving on SH4 near Raetihi on 25 December (Christmas Day) following an accident. She was remanded to appear in the Ohakune District Court on 10 April for a pre-trial conference. Counsel: Paul Brown.

$1000 drink driving fine George Wayne Bowring, 39, concrete worker of Raetihi, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with an excess breath alcohol level of 514: 1 on SH4 on 21 February. This was his second drink driving offence within 10 years. He was convicted and fined $1000, court costs $95 and disqualified for 10 months. Warrant for arrest Wayne Earl Eades, 29, pruner of Ohakune, was to have appeared to answer charges of: receiving from persons unknown 15 papaver somniferum plants valued at $30 knowing that they had been stolen and attempting to produce a Class B drug (opium) on 14 February. He was also to have appeared to answer a charge of possessing a syringe for the purpose of committing an offence against the Misuse of Drugs Act on 26 February. When he failed to appear a warrant for arrest was issued. Case dismissed Selwyn Raymond Herewini, 47, of Raetihi, was to have answered a charge of 'male assaults female' but when police told the court that the complainant who had allegedly been assaulted had recently moved away to give birth and was unwilling to return to the Waimarino, the case was dismissed through lack of evidence. Judge Laing said that in cases such as this where an element of coercion or intimidation might have been involved, the witness could be summoned to give evidence but, given the circumstances outlined to him by police on this occassion, he would accept the explanation.