‘Momma Doof ’ fined for unlicensed teen parties
A Christchurch mother who hosted unlicensed parties for hundreds of teenagers has been fined for her misguided attempt at providing ‘‘a community service’’.
Theresa Anne Soper, known to partygoers as ‘‘Momma Doof’’, pleaded guilty earlier this month to a charge of allowing alcohol to be drunk on her property.
Yesterday, Christchurch District Court Judge Tom Gilbert fined Soper
$2700. The court heard she was too unwell to appear, and the sentence was delivered in her absence.
Soper told The Press in 2017 she hosted 18 events in her socalled Belfast Barn Bar on Main North Rd, the Styx – over the two years to October 2017 after becoming concerned about her 16-yearold daughter attending out-ofcontrol parties.
Her lawyer told the court Soper, 49, saw the parties, attended by teenagers as ‘‘a community service, that young people in the community could do with a place to congregate’’.
The Belfast Barn Bar had no neighbours for 3 kilometres, and a 12-person security team nicknamed ‘‘Guardians of the Doof’’ patrolled the parties. Soper did not supply alcohol but teens brought it with them, the court heard.
Police visited the property about a week before Soper’s last party, a 2017 Halloween celebration, to make suggestions about improving the venue, her lawyer said.
‘‘Police were engaged and saw this as a positive thing ... as a concept, without the alcohol, this is a perfectly legitimate congregation.
‘‘What has then subsequently happened is that she has allowed alcohol to be consumed on the property and that’s where she has gotten herself into trouble.’’
The court heard police had to break up Soper’s final party twice on October 28, 2017, after she ignored conversations regarding a liquor licence held the week prior.
A police riot squad dispersed about 200 teenagers but had to return a couple of hours later after the party continued with about 100 people.