Sergeant struck by patrol car

Kawerau man Cameron Hunt has been sentenced to five months’ home detention for stealing a police car and reversing it into a police officer, before crashing into a fence.

Hunt, 34, had been drunk on the day of his offending in July last year.

Whakatāne District Court heard on Wednesday that Hunt usually abstained from alcohol, but he had been drinking at a friend’s funeral earlier in the day.

Judge Robert Spear said there had been a dispute within the family and Hunt grabbed multiple knives, brandishing them.

“You were clearly intoxicated and angry.”

A child present called their grandmother, who then phoned the police, the judge said.

Judge Spear said Hunt was arrested, handcuffed and put in the back of the police car.

“You managed to get your hands in front of you, got into the front of the police car and put the vehicle in reverse down your driveway – straight into the path of a police sergeant.”

As Hunt continued in the police car, he clipped the front fence. Police were able to stop him at that point.

Judge Spear said no information was available regarding injuries suffered by the sergeant.

Hunt pleaded guilty in September to charges of possession of an offensive weapon, unlawfully taking a motor vehicle (the police car), escaping police custody and aggravated assault.

Defence lawyer Leonard Hemi said alcohol consumption was a central issue for Hunt.

He said alcohol had also been a factor the last time Hunt found himself in court early last year for assault and wilful damage.

Mr Hemi said outside of his offending, Hunt had a supportive family and was committed to doing the 400-hour community work sentence he received for his offending. He calculated that Hunt had done an average of 6.25 hours of community work a week for the last year.

“When he is sober, he does what is required, he’s responsible, a good partner and a good stepfather,” Mr Hemi said.

The lawyer sought a sentence of home detention for his client, because it would mean he would stay off alcohol for longer due to the conditions of the sentence, and he could continue to work as a builder.

Hunt volunteered to make reparation payments totalling $5000 towards the damage he caused to the police car.

Judge Spear described the defendant’s behaviour during his offending as “quite bizarre,” due to him being highly intoxicated.

“Your attempt to escape was extraordinary but shows how distorted your thinking was at the time,” he said.

The judge urged Hunt to get his personal problems under control to avoid further offending.

With the five-month home detention sentence and an additional six months of release conditions, Hunt is legally prohibited from consuming alcohol for the next 11 months.

Robbery admitted, bail declined

Whakatāne man John Gerrard pleaded guilty to an amended charge of robbery and eight thefts.

Gerrard, 36, applied for bail, which was declined by the judge.

He was initially charged with aggravated robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years’ imprisonment. Police amended the charge on Wednesday to robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Gerrard was remanded in custody for sentencing in March.

Fined for road rage

Poroporo man Andrew Duncan West has been fined $500 for his role in a road rage incident which saw him brake check a car following too close to him and confront the occupants with a stick after they made rude gestures at him.

West, 54, pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening behaviour. Police withdrew a charge of dangerous driving.

The court heard that West had been travelling home from his work in Mount Maunganui at about 6.20pm on September 5.

The vehicle behind him was not observing a safe following distance and had to swerve into another lane on State Highway 2 in Papamoa when West braked.

Defence lawyer Kylee O’Connor said the three young occupants of the vehicle pulled the finger at him and gestured at him to pull over.

West pulled over at the intersection of Domain Road and Tara Road in Papamoa and got out with a 10mm by 20mm stick.

“He’d had enough of their driving, pulling fingers and raising fists,” Ms O’Connor said.

“He acknowledges that he should not have got out of the vehicle with the stick.”

Ms O’Connor said the defendant was remorseful. She sought a sentence of convict and discharge without penalty, a suspended sentence, or at the upper level, a fine.

Judge Spear said at his age, West should have better control of his impulses.

He said the defendant’s actions, including pulling over to allow a confrontation to occur, was “simply stupid.”

West was fined $500 and $143 in court costs.

Motorbike wheelies with six-year-old passenger

Whakatāne man Degan Jade Allison has avoided disqualification for a charge of dangerous driving, after he was caught doing a wheel stand on a child’s motorbike while his young son sat on the petrol tank in front of him.

Allison, 24, was sentenced to 100 hours’ community work and 12 months’ supervision.

Police said Allison’s actions, which included driving down the wrong side of Muriwai Drive, put public safety at risk.

The sentencing had previously been adjourned to allow Allison to undertake a driving course, under the instruction of another District Court judge.

Charges denied

Kauri Waaka Hepi has been remanded in custody on several charges for a case review hearing in April.

This week, Hepi pleaded not guilty to burglary, unlawfully taking a motorcycle, driving dangerously, unlawful possession of a firearm, recklessly discharging a firearm and two counts of driving while disqualified.

Ōpōtiki offending admitted

Ōpōtiki man Steven Leo-Lemuel Raana Herbert pleaded guilty to four charges this week and was granted bail.

Herbert, 39, has admitted contravening a protection order, common assault, breaching community work and failing to appear in court.

He was remanded on bail for sentencing in Whakatāne District Court in March. He was ordered not to enter Ōpōtiki, where the offending occurred.

New lawyer, case remanded

A Whakatāne woman facing multiple drug dealing allegations has changed lawyers.

Jordahne Whaiora Richards has been charged with offering to supply methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis. The Crown is prosecuting.

She was remanded on bail to reappear before the court in April, giving her new lawyer time to review the case.

Ōpōtiki date scheduled

Shane Malcolm Cairns has been granted bail on multiple charges that he denies.

Cairns is charged with assault with a blunt instrument, threatening behaviour and three counts of assault on a person in a family relationship.

He was granted bail to appear in Ōpōtiki District Court next month.

Threat denied

Kawerau woman Yvette Tania Pani Hiko pleaded not guilty to a charge of threatening to kill or cause grievous bodily harm.

She was remanded to April for a case review hearing.

Pre-sentence report ordered

Kawerau woman Anthony Joseph Willis-Kingi has been convicted of her fourth offence of refusing an officer’s request for a blood sample.

Willis-Kingi, 38, pleaded guilty this week to the charge.

Judge Spear said that a pre-sentence report was required due to the number of previous convictions.

Willis-Kingi was remanded to March for sentencing.

Sentencing adjourned

Whakatāne man William Haywood, 24, is due to be sentenced in two months for possessing a tomahawk in public.

The court heard Haywood has been living on the streets and armed himself with the weapon for self-defence, two weeks before the confrontation that saw him arrested.

Defence lawyer Leonard Hemi said Haywood did not want to receive a rehabilitative sentence.

Judge Spear said he was troubled by that. With electronically monitored sentences not an option and community work being insufficient, he said the only option left was jail.

He ordered a pre-sentence report and scheduled a sentencing hearing in March.

Breaches denied

Kaya Herbert Williams has denied two breaches of an extended supervision order.

He was remanded to April for a case review hearing.