Homeless man jailed

A homeless Taranaki man has been jailed for flicking a cigarette butt at a police officer – and a number of trespass charges.

Andrew Matehaere Wharehoka, who is currently trespassed from 32 locations in New Plymouth, was formally barred from New Plymouth Club on July 2, but 10 days later he was found back at the city establishment. According to a police summary of facts, the 31-year-old refused the manager’s request for him to leave. When the staffer phoned police, Wharehoka hightailed it down the road where he was located by police.

While being spoken to by an officer the defendant took a lit cigarette butt from his mouth and flicked it towards her face but it fell short and landed at her feet.

While being escorted into an awaiting patrol car, Wharehoka said: ‘‘it didn’t even hit that b .... ’’.

Also in July, Wharehoka was found on two separate occasions at Top Town Cinema Complex, from which he was trespassed in November 2017 for a period of two years.

Wharehoka, who has a history of mental illness and was living on the streets, has previously been before the court a number of times on trespass related charges. On Thursday, he appeared before Judge Chris Sygrove at New Plymouth District Court where he pleaded guilty to three charges of wilful trespass and one of assault of an officer in the execution of duty and failing to answer bail.

Defence lawyer Megan Boyd sought a short term of imprisonment for her client, who has been in custody since July.

Sygrove convicted and discharged Wharehoka on the failing to answer bail charge and handed down a one month jail sentence for the remaining charges.