Lockdown rulebreakers test public, police patience

ONE of a transient duo who became the first in Dunedin to be sentenced for breaching the Covid19 lockdown was far from apologetic when interviewed by police, a court has heard.

‘‘I don’t give a ***’’, Dawson Taiaroa said.

The 52yearold’s actions in the preceding hours of April 7 backed that up.

He was wandering around the suburb of Brockville with Junior Ben Thompson (44) and another associate, causing havoc while the Level 4 restrictions were in place, the Dunedin District Court heard this week.

At 6.30pm, the intoxicated trio were found by police at a bus stop verbally abusing each other and any passersby.

They were warned about their conduct but did not listen.

Police were called again soon after and officers were ‘‘met with a barrage of drunken abuse’’ when they asked the men to leave the area.

A couple of hours later, the mayhem continued as the men refused to leave a local supermarket, swearing at staff and customers.

Taiaroa left the store temporarily but returned in a venomous mood.

‘‘He began to yell . . . and then spat a large wad of spit at the supermarket owner, narrowly missing him,’’ a police summary said.

Thompson, too, was ‘‘aggressive and demanding’’, the court heard.

Police arrested the pair and Taiaroa ‘‘admitted spitting at the store owner and spat several times on the floor of the police station and towards officers, stating noone told him what to do,’’ court documents said.

Thompson, who was also facing a trespass charge, was sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment, resulting in his immediate release.

Taiaroa, who had 19 pages of convictions and was also convicted of shoplifting, presented a more complex challenge for the court. Judge Michael Crosbie said the defendant had mentalhealth and addiction issues after a head injury in 1990. Despite setbacks, agencies again strove to support Taiaroa.

He was sentenced to 12 months’ intensive supervision and Probation confirmed accommodation would be organised plus any treatment deemed necessary.

The judge said the case showed the police exercised much patience and discretion when dealing with lockdown breachers.