Angry pub patron lets off volley of gunfire

A man refused carry-out booze after drinking at his local d’Urville Island pub went home and fired semi-automatic weapons from his deck, scaring punters still at the pub.

Tiwini Ngahuka Hippolite, 43, had been drinking at the d’Urville Island Wilderness Lodge in the outer Marlborough Sounds, turning up at the bar about 7pm on April 14.

Later in the evening, he asked if he could take some alcohol home with him, but the bar staff refused as it was not allowed under the liquor licence.

Hippolite got upset and walked the short distance back to his house in Catherine Cove, a police summary of facts said.

He took an SKS semiautomatic high-powered rifle and a Winchester semi-automatic 12 gauge shotgun from his living room, went onto his front deck and fired numerous shots.

Staff at the lodge and 24 guests were scared by the shooting and called police.

The armed offenders squad and the Wellington-based police launch Lady Elizabeth IV were sent, and Hippolite was arrested without incident, the police summary said.

Police found seven unsecured firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition at his home. Hippolite did not have a firearms licence.

He admitted charges of possessing firearms without a licence, and discharging firearms near a dwelling with intent to cause irritation or intimidation at Blenheim District Court yesterday.

He appeared by audio-visual link from prison, as he had been sentenced to jail on another matter, and was not due to be released until May next year.

Judge Tony Zohrab said the only possible sentence would be a short additional jail term, but the fate of his firearms would need to be decided.

He was convicted and remanded on bail to October 30.