In brief

Sportscar wreck sold

A rare Mclaren luxury sportscar written-off on an Auckland motorway has sold for an undisclosed sum at auction. The mangled 2015 Mclaren 650S, with barely a square centimetre of its carbon-fibre exterior undamaged, crashed on the Northwestern Motorway, in April. It only had 901km on the clock. Mclaren Auckland refused to comment on whether it owned the 650S. Manheim auctioneers refused to say how much the Mclaren sold for or who bought it at the online auction. But it is understood there was significant interest from around the world. Only 500 2015 Mclaren 650’s were built – all were sold.

Bus in fatal crash

Two fencing contractors helped hysterical young people from a passenger bus involved in a fatal crash in Central Otago. At least one person has died and others are injured after the bus and four-wheeldrive collided on State Highway 8 near Shingle Creek, near Roxburgh, just before 2pm yesterday, a police spokeswoman said.

Guards get mace

Prison guards will soon be able to carry pepper spray, and use it without getting permission from higher up. Guards can use pepper spray now but it is kept within secure storage and requires approval from prison directors to be carried around. Minister of Corrections Louise Upston said pepper-spraying a prisoner was a much safer use of force than others. Pepper spray, also known as mace, is a chemical compound that causes intense pain to the eyes and face, temporary blindness, and some difficulty breathing.

Expungement bill

A bill to expunge the historical convictions of gay men charged with homosexual activity has been introduced to Parliament. The Criminal Records (Expungement of Convictions for Historical Homosexual Offences) Bill was announced in February by Justice Minister Amy Adams. It will set up a system where men charged with consensual homosexual conduct (or their families) under old laws can apply to have those convictions wiped from the record. The Justice Ministry believes there are around 1000 of these men still alive. Homosexual sex was legalised in 1986, but the convictions under the old law still stand. The bill, which has no provisions for compensation, will likely have its first reading within the next few weeks.

Marae founder dies

Bruce Stewart, the founder of Wellington’s Tapu Te Ranga marae, has died. Stewart, 80, died in his sleep at the marae in Island Bay yesterday morning. The marae sprawls across the hillside of the south coast suburb. It has been a work in progress since the 1970s, built with the help of hundreds of Maori from different iwi. A funeral at the marae is planned for Sunday.