Dad pleads guilty to hitting kids with belt
Observatory at Tekapo, which is pretty much the best observatory in New Zealand. I’ve really wanted to go there and I’m super excited,’’ she said.
‘‘We’ve been told to bring our calculators so we are going to be doing some actual work, rather than just talking.’’
Poehler, whose favourite subjects at school are physics and maths, has always been interested in space.
‘‘I don’t remember when I became interested in it as a subject, the night sky has always held a fascination for me,’’ she said.
She realised her passion could become a career three years ago after New Zealander Karen Wilcox, Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, visited the school.
‘‘That was a real inspiration to me, I could see there was a pathway to go.’’
Although she enjoyed stargazing, it was the theory side of the science that really interested her, she said.
‘‘It’s the mathematics side of it, and the challenges of working it out. Most of astronomy is not exactly easy to prove, it’s not here, a lot of what you look at and talk about is a long way away. I do own a telescope but I don’t use it very often.’’
She is a member of the New Plymouth Astronomical Society and regularly volunteers during public nights at New Plymouth observatory.
When she’s not stargazing, Poehler may be swinging a medieval weapon - a single hand sword, double hand sword, dagger, shield or polearm - with the Taranaki Medieval Society.
‘‘It’s a mix of role play, dressing up, history and fitness training. My favourite weapon is what’s called a bastard sword - it’s halfway between a single hand and double hand sword,’’ she said.
Next year she plans to begin a Bachelor of Science majoring in physics and astronomy at University of Canterbury.
‘‘I would really like to make astronomy my career,’’ she said.
‘‘I’d eventually like to work at one of the space agencies, maybe NASA. The reality is yet to be seen.’’
St Mary’s head of science Matt Coleman said Poehler was the first student from the school to be accepted for the camp.
To apply she had to write about why she wanted to go. It was also judged on NCEA results. A father who disciplined his children using a belt has now adopted a ‘‘no smacking’’ rule, a court has heard.
Blair Allan Moeller, 33, appeared in the New Plymouth District Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting a child with a weapon.
The statement of facts, read out by police prosecutor Detective Sergeant Dave MacKenzie, said the offending took place when Moeller had the care of his son and daughter between January 1, 2012 and October 2, 2015.
MacKenzie said Moeller had used the belt, which ‘‘was material and had eyelets along the length’’, to discipline the children by hitting them on their buttocks over their clothes.
Moeller had held the belt doubled over in his hand but had not used the buckle.
When the children were interviewed by police in 2015 they described the striking as ‘‘hard’’ and said it left red marks on their bottoms.
The son, who was aged between seven and ten years of age at the time, said Moeller would strike him up to 15 times on each occasion, while the girl said he would strike her up to 10 times.
When he was interviewed, Moeller accepted the discipline had happened and said he and his new partner had recently had their first child and it was a stressful time coming to grips with the newborn and dealing with his own children who brought their own challenges.
Moeller described smacking his son as a last resort as his boy was very challenging.
MacKenzie said Moeller showed genuine remorse for his actions and stated he loved his children and was very sorry.
Defence lawyer Nathan Bourke said since the offending Moeller had taken part in a parenting course at Plunket.
Judge Lynne Harrison remanded him at large to appear for sentencing on May 31 in New Plymouth.