Murder charged now named

MURDER CHARGED NAMED

A Turangi man accused of murdering his baby daughter can now be named.

Donovan Michael Duff, 40, appeared in the Taupo District Court on Wednesday, via video link, accused of murdering his daughter Maija Phui-Duff.

Maija was nine-months-old when she died in Turangi on March 12, 2016.

Duff entered no plea on the charge and was remanded in custody by Judge Grey HollisterJones until June 7 when he will appear in Rotorua’s High Court via video link.

COURT BRIEFS

Gerrard Dean Shepherd was sentenced on five charges in Taupo’s District Court on Wednesday.

He pleaded guilty to three charges of driving while disqualified and two charges of theft.

Two of the driving while disqualified happened on February 23 and 24 in Taupo while the third happened on March 19 in Manurewa.

The theft charges included a petrol drive off from Taupo’s Lake Terrace Mobil Petrol Station to the value of $60 and the second one was theft of meat to the value of $20 from Tokoroa’s Countdown.

Judge Hollister-Jones said that Shepherd’s fifth, sixth and seventh driving while disqualified offences were in short order, with two of them happening in two days.

The judge told Shepherd his repeat driving offences shows a complete disregard for his disqualification and his sentence.

Shepherd was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay reparation.

Karl David Alker pleaded guilty to two charges; possession of a firearm without a license and illegal hunting.

Alker’s lawyer, Phil Clarke, said Alker fully accepted responsibility.

He was sentenced to 100 hours community work and and Judge Hollister-Jones ordered the destruction of his firearm and ammunition.

Quinn Andrew Matene, pleaded not guilty to one charge of excessive breath alcohol. He was remanded on bail at large for a case review hearing on July 4. entered a guilty plea to one charge of breach of supervision. He was remanded on bail until June 7.