Imprisoned for smashing Cafe Coco window

A Whakatāne man has been imprisoned for smashing a window at Cafe Coco.

Te Maunganui Singh-Lagah, 30, appeared in the Whakatāne District Court on Wednesday for sentencing.

He had pleaded guilty to a charge of intentional damage.

Judge Louis Bidois said this was Singh-Lagah's fifth intentional damage conviction this year; his last incident resulting in $6000 reparation.

Singh-Lagah was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment.

Supervision instead of home detention

A man has received a sentence of supervision after complying with electronically monitored bail and completing a drug and alcohol course.

Louis Pukeroa appeared for sentencing on charges of burglary, threatening to kill, assaulting a person in a family relationship and two counts of contravening a protection order.

Judge Bidois had previously issued a sentencing indication of 12 months’ home detention for the offending. After crediting time spent in custody and Pukeroa’s motivation to change, this was lowered to 7 months’ home detention.

Since pleading guilty, Pukeroa had completed a Te Whare Oranga Ngakau course, encouraging Judge Bidois to ease the sentence further.

“You’ve done really well,” Judge Bidois told Pukeroa.

Pukeroa was sentenced to 12 months’ supervision and ordered to pay $500 emotional harm reparation to the victim of the assault charge.

“Make sure you stay on the waka, Mr Pukeroa, don’t ruin the progress that you’ve made,” Judge Bidois said.

Argument leads to dangerous driving

A Toatoa man has pleaded guilty to three driving-related offences, committed after an argument with his partner.

Karaitiana Matthews, 28, was convicted of assault with intent to injure, driving in a dangerous manner, and failing to stop to ascertain if an injury had been caused.

Matthews and his partner were arguing while driving on Ohope Road. His lawyer, Nikki Franklin, said he was upset, which led him to driving dangerously.

On the assault charge, Matthews was referred to restorative justice.

He was remanded until April 17 for sentencing on all charges.

Driving while suspended

A Whakatāne man has been sentenced after driving while suspended and then offending twice more while on bail for the initial charge.

Fraser Pope, 29, was charged with two counts of driving while suspended and driving with a breath alcohol level over 400 micrograms per litre of breath.

He was asked to complete a defensive driving course prior to sentencing but told Judge Bidois said he had not finished the allocated course.

His lawyer, Paul Devoy, said Pope was hoping to avoid a disqualification with a section 94 outcome.

Judge Bidois said the two driving while suspended charges might have left the option for a section 94 application, but the drink-driving charge secured a more serious sentence.

“You’ll get community work and supervision to provide help with your ongoing poor decision-making,” Judge Bidois said.

Pope was sentenced to 140 hours’ community work and nine months’ supervision and disqualified him from driving for six months.

“Do not drink and drive again, otherwise your disqualification will become 12 months and one day. Driving while disqualified will give you 12 months. There’s a lot at stake,” Judge Bidois told Pope.

Not guilty to assaulting police

Kuraniniwa Tihi has pleaded not guilty to assault of police.

She was charged with two counts of assaulting police officers.

She was remanded until January 30 for case review.

Bail variation postponed

A Whakatāne man has had his bail application postponed.

Jayjay Te Are, 39, is charged with three counts of assaulting a child with a weapon, two counts of injuring with intent to injure and ill treatment, and neglect of a child under 18, and recklessly discharging a firearm.

He is also charged with breaching court bail and breaching community work.

Lawyer Whare Hika said his client wanted a bail variation.

Judge Bidois put off the bail variation decision, so all parties could gather more information.

Te Are was remanded for case review on February 5.

No show two days after bail

Christopher Allen failed to show at his second court appearance.

He is charged with three counts of shoplifting from Pak’n Save Whakatāne, and three counts of willful trespass.

The court no-show came two days after Allen was released on bail.

Prosecutor Stephanie Tattersall said Allen missed his first court appearance as well.

Allen was charged with shoplifting groceries on three occasions valued at $22.08, $11.17 and $15.17.

Judge Bidois issued a warrant for Allen’s arrest.

Bail granted

A Whakatāne man has been granted bail after being arrested for disorderly behaviour.

Clement Makamaka, 62, pleaded not guilty to three counts of disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence against a person to start – namely himself, behaving threateningly, assaulting a person with a blunt instrument, common assault, threatening to kill, speaking threateningly, and threatening behaviour.

He was granted bail and permitted to visit Kopeopeo only between 10am and 2pm on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

“Mr Makamaka, no more getting hoha, everyone’s getting tired,” Judge Bidois said.

Makamaka was remanded until December 18 for case review.