Woman outstays welcome, turns violent

Eastern Bay woman Jaydin Honatana has been sentenced to prison for her violent reaction to being asked to leave a property she had been staying at with family.

Honatana, 24, appeared in Whakatāne District Court on Wednesday before Judge David Cameron for sentencing on charges of threatening to kill, possession of an offensive weapon and wilful damage.

Judge Cameron said Honatana had outstayed her welcome at a family member’s home and had been asked to leave. On January 23, the victim asked if she had packed her bags, which turned into an argument.

The defendant made threats toward the victim, grabbed a 30cm butcher’s knife and chased the victim around her car, parked in the driveway.

Judge Cameron said the victim threw a rock at the defendant.

Honatana opened the victim’s car and threw items from it onto the ground, before returning to the house.

There, she stabbed holes in a door and smashed a glass door.

The judge said Honatana was deemed at high risk of reoffending and had been forensically screened as part of the court process. She has a documented history of substance abuse.

Honatana has been held in custody since her arrest in January because of a lack of available bail address and Judge Cameron said she was likely at time served.

He sentenced her to six months in prison with six months of release conditions.

Probation did not seek any release conditions be imposed because of her “shocking” history of non-compliance, but lawyer Rebecca Plunket said she was concerned about Honatana being released into the community without support.

Honatana was also ordered to pay reparations of $130.

Bail granted

Rūātoki man Christopher Kiwara has been granted electronically monitored bail.

He is due back in court next month for a case review on charges of intentional damage, assault on a person in a family relationship, threatening to kill, wilful damage, possession of an offensive weapon, assault with a blunt instrument, common assault and two counts of speaking threateningly.

Remand in custody

Ōpōtiki man Teariki Araipu, 35, has been remanded in custody without plea on violence charges.

Araipu has been charged with impeding breathing or blood circulation, aggravated assault and contravening a protection order.

Duty lawyer Jonathan Kay said the defendant wanted to be bailed to an address in the King Country, but police opposed bail.

Araipu was remanded in custody to reappear on May 27 by audio visual link to enter pleas.

Time served

Fabian Turner is due to be released from prison in a time-served situation after he spent more than two months in custody on remand.

Turner initially pleaded not guilty to charges of contravening a protection order and assault on a person in a family relationship at this week’s hearing.

He sought electronically monitored bail, having previously been denied straight bail.

Judge Cameron said based on the time Turner had spent in custody, he could be looking at time served if he pleaded guilty to the charges.

Lawyer Leonard Hemi took instructions from Turner and entered guilty pleas on his behalf.

Judge Cameron said Turner and the victim were in a relationship but living separately at the time of the offending on March 18.

He said the defendant showed up to the victim’s house intoxicated after attending a tangi in the Waikato. Turner became angry and kicked objects around the house, including making an attempt to kick the victim.

He pushed a cup she was carrying into her face, cutting her.

The judge noted that Turner had previously offended against the victim and most recently was sentenced to intensive supervision.

Turner was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and six months of release conditions.

Bail granted after breach

Ngamare Maaka has been readmitted to bail after breaching her curfew.

The court heard Maaka went for a walk to clear her head outside of her curfew hours. Police did not oppose her readmission to bail.

Maaka was remanded to June 27 for sentencing on charges of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, assault with a blunt instrument, driving dangerously, assaulting police, resisting police, threatening to kill, refusing an officer’s request for blood, possession of an offensive weapon and driving with excess breath alcohol.

Remand for sentencing

The sentencing of Kaya Tahi-Shaw was adjourned for a month to allow him to further engage in the Man Up programme and police to check if the victim would like a protection order.

Tahi-Shaw pleaded guilty this week to a charge of assault on a person in a family relationship.

Lawyer Thomas Chin said this was Tahi-Shaw's first time before the court, so no pre-sentence report would be required.

Tahi-Shaw was remanded to June 25 for sentencing.

Readmitted to bail

Neil Simons has been readmitted to bail after breaching a non-contact condition of his bail.

He was remanded to the end of the month for a case review hearing on a charge of contravening a protection order and to enter a plea on a new charge.

Trial date scheduled

A three-hour defended hearing has been scheduled on October 10 for Mereaira Edwards.

The defendant denies a charge of wounding with intent to injure.

Sentencing adjourned

An incomplete pre-sentencing report has seen John Hall’s sentencing delayed by two months.

Hall was due to be sentenced this week for possession of cannabis for supply, but Probation had sought more time to complete a pre-sentence report and then the defendant required hospital care for an illness.

Lawyer Kylee O’Connor said more time was required for Hall and Probation to have that conversation and sought an adjournment.

Hall is due to be sentenced in July.

October trial date

Ulaula Maeata is set to go to trial on October 24 having denied charges of threatening to kill and assault with a blunt instrument.

File needs tidying

Judge Cameron has ordered that more submissions need to be filed before Nathan Collier can be sentenced.

Collier appeared for sentencing on charges of impeding breathing or blood circulation, assaulting police, threatening to kill and possession of an offensive weapon.

The judge said there was too much discrepancy between the sentences that prosecution and defence submitted as appropriate, and he was not minded to receive oral submissions.

He sought further submissions be filed with reference to case law to reduce the onus on the sentencing judge.

He said he was unhappy with the state of the file, and it was inevitable that the sentencing be delayed.

Collier was remanded for sentencing on July 2.

Trial in November

A one-hour trial has been scheduled on November 6 for Joanne Kryszkiewicz.

She has pleaded not guilty to assaulting police.

Businessman fined

Local business owner Kwong Chan has been fined $600 for driving with excess breath alcohol while unlicensed.

Chan pleaded guilty to both charges this week.

The court heard the breath alcohol reading was low, but this was his third conviction.

Lawyer Leonard Hemi said the situation was one of Chan being too casual.

The defendant had a drink with dinner and had then travelled to Matamata to pick up a car he had purchased. He was on his way home when he was caught by police.

In addition to the fine, Chan was disqualified from driving for 28 days and will then be subject to an alcohol interlock.

Two trials scheduled

Chase Reweti has had a bail application adjourned because Kainga Ora were not prepared to have him at one of their addresses.

Reweti has denied charges of assault of a child, assault of a person in a family relationship and two counts of assault with intent to injure.

Two judge alone trials were scheduled for him to defend himself against the separate charges.

One group of charges relating to December will be tried on October 24.

A second group of charges relating to last June will be tried on November 6.

Reweti was remanded in custody but can make another bail application before the trials.