Main street turns mean street
A feud between two Woodville shop owners has escalated to one being charged in court for wilful damage.
Dannevirke woman Gabriele Ella Losch has been in a stoush with John Preston and Peter Thornton over accusations of racism, locks being glued shut and property boundary disputes.
Losch owns The Living Room, while Preston and Thornton are next door in the town’s main street at Antique Fabric and Lace, to which police were called on Sunday morning.
Losch, 56, pleaded guilty in Palmerston North District Court on Thursday to willful damage of a material rack and ceramic pots that belonged to Preston.
She was offered diversion by police, which she accepted.
As part of her bail conditions, Losch must remain living at her Dannevirke property and cannot contact Preston and Thornton.
She will appear in court again in February.
Away from court, Preston said he hadn’t oppsed diversion.
‘‘I believe in forgiveness – I’m a New Zealander – but she doesn’t forgive that easily,’’ he said.
‘‘But we’ll still go through the restorative justice programme, whether it will do a lot of good.’’
Preston said Losch came to their shop on Sunday, accusing them of gluing her locks shut and police were called when she began kicking over stock.
‘‘The police officer had to restrain her, because she kept at it even as she was being arrested,’’ he said.
Losch could not be reached for additional comment.