Man threatened security staff

A man who threatened staff at the Brook Valley Holiday Park was one of several people sentenced for offending that occurred when the country was in lockdown alert level 4.

Tauiwarau Matene, 61, was sentenced in the Nelson District Court on Monday on a charge of threatening behaviour.

The court heard how Matene was living at the Brook Valley Holiday Park during lockdown, having left his Nelson home so other family members could use it .

On April 25, Matene had a visitor at the camp and was told by security staff that wasn’t allowed during alert level 4 and the person had to leave. The two left in his car and when Matene returned, there was a vehicle blocking the entrance to stop people driving straight into the campsite. Matene sat in his car, revving the engine, yelling at staff to move the car. He was told he needed to reverse and drive into the camp past the office. In response, Matene said, ‘‘I will slit your f***ing throat and cut your knees out’’ before accelerating and spinning his wheels.

Police were called removed him from the address. Duty lawyer Dave Holloway said Matene had given up his house for other family during lockdown and the girl had been dropped off at the camp by her father while he went into town. ‘‘He was upset because he felt he was wrongly accused of having her there when it wasn’t really his fault that she was there and he has obviously reacted extremely badly.’’

Judge Garry Barkle said Matene’s language was ‘‘shocking’’. Matene was convicted and ordered to make an emotional harm reparation payment of $300.

In another case, Dayna Helen Walsh, 19, was sentenced on charges of careless driving and excess breath alcohol. She was driving on the Tapawera-Baton Rd on April 26 with four others when she lost control of the vehicle, which crashed through a fence. A breath test gave a reading of 400mcg per litre of breath. The limit for under 20s is zero. Defence lawyer Kelly Hennessey said Walsh had friends who were out spotlighting. She had been worried about them so had gone looking. She was very remorseful about what had happened. Walsh was fined $600, ordered to pay court costs of $130 and disqualified from driving for six months.

Martin Henry Reuben and Jason Matenga each faced a charge of obstructing a medical officer of health for lockdown breaches. Reuben was warned by police on three occasions when found out without reasonable excuse during alert level 4. The fourth time, he was stopped on his motorbike on Waimea Rd on April 27 and charged. He was convicted and sentenced to 90 hours community work. Matenga, who lives in Nelson but spent lockdown in Gisborne, was seen by police in the early hours of April 5 about 100 kilometres from his lockdown address. He was convicted and sentenced to 80 hours community work.