Queenstown District Court

A NEWSPAPER distribution employee was yesterday sentenced to six months’ supervision, with special conditions, after admitting publicly exposing his genitals to a female colleague in May.

Prosecuting Sergeant Ian Collin told the Queenstown District Court Michael Bernard Donovan (52), whose occupation was listed as chef, was employed to collect newspapers from a Glenda Dr property for distribution.

The victim in the matter was employed to deliver the newspapers to that address.

On May 10, the victim went to the dropoff and began unloading newspapers, and was met by the defendant.

‘‘As she bent down to put newspapers on the ground she looked up.

‘‘The defendant was about 1 metre away from her, wearing very short navy shorts, and his genitals were outside his shorts, down his left leg.

‘‘She was embarrassed and did not say anything.’’

The next day, the victim arrived at Glenda Dr to unload newspapers, turned her video camera on to record and left it in the cradle of the dashboard.

‘‘She made a point of not looking at the defendant [and] unloaded newspapers.

‘‘Later that day she reviewed the footage and found the defendant was wearing the same shorts and his genitals were again exposed.’’

When spoken to by police, Donovan said he had previously sustained an injury and it was uncomfortable for him to wear restrictive clothing.

He said he was not aware he had exposed himself and thought he may have ‘‘tucked his shirt in’’ and ‘‘unknowingly hiked up his shorts by doing so’’.

Counsel Louise Denton said Donovan’s employer was aware of the incident and had retained his employment but there had since been a ‘‘separation’’ provided to make sure the two parties did not cross paths.

He had apologised to the victim through the employment process.

Judge Bernadette Farnan said Donovan’s medical condition might ‘‘go some way’’ to explaining his behaviour; however, there had been an alleged incident in a different setting a year ago which ‘‘should at least have put you on notice as to how you need to be vigilant with regard to your challenges’’.

Donovan was also ordered to pay $500 emotional harm reparation.

Family feud

Joshua James Veint (28), contractor, of Glenorchy, yesterday admitted charges of possession of an offensive weapon, namely a spade, dangerous driving and assaulting his stepmother, stemming from two separate incidents in the township in May.

Judge Farnan said on May 8 Veint and his uncle were both in a quarry near Glenorchy.

Veint pulled in behind his uncle — who had ‘‘ongoing issues’’ with Veint’s father — and asked him to move his truck; however, a verbal argument ensued, before he confronted him with the spade.

‘‘In explanation he said he just wanted the victim to move out of the way and he didn’t mean for what occurred to happen,’’ Judge Farnan said.

Then, on May 19, Veint’s father and stepmother were at a petrol station in Mull St when Veint drove in ‘‘at pace’’.

His stepmother was walking across the forecourt and was about 1m away from his vehicle.

He ‘‘braked hard’’ and his bonnet hit both of her hands.

She was uninjured.

Judge Farnan said Veint had written an apology and in her victim impact statement his stepmother said she did not want him to go to prison.

He had since moved away from the family situation.

While he did have previous convictions, he had none since 2014, the judge said.

For possession of an offensive weapon, he was sentenced to six months’ supervision, with special conditions, 130 hours’ community work, was disqualified from driving for seven months and an order was made for the destruction of the spade.

Wielded a machete

Raymond George Allan (51), a heavy truck/tanker driver, was sentenced to six months’ supervision, with special conditions, after admitting threatening a neighbour with a machete in Luggate on July 1.

Sgt Collin said Allan had been living in a caravan at the Luggate

Motor Camp but about 10pm that night he was making ‘‘excessive noise’’.

The victim also lived in a caravan on the site and approached Allan’s caravan to ask him to quiet down.

Allan ‘‘stood in the doorway holding a machete and threatened the complainant’’.

‘‘The victim withdrew, walking backwards with his hands raised, while the defendant followed him, holding the machete.’’

An occupant of another caravan intervened and Allan returned to his lodgings.

Counsel Tanya Surrey said it was a ‘‘oneoff incident’’, and Allan had lost his accommodation as a result.

‘‘This wasn’t his finest hour — he’s very sorry for what happened.’’

For possession of an offensive weapon Allan was also ordered make a $250 emotional harm payment and an order for destruction of the machete was made.

For threatening behaviour he was convicted and discharged.

‘Appalling behaviour’

Riki Matanga McCormack (38), of Queenstown, was sentenced to 15 months’ intensive supervision with judicial monitoring and 100 hours’ community work after admitting assaulting Constable Stacey Kerin, resisting Const Kerin and Const Ian Madden and disorderly behaviour likely to cause violence at Lakes District Hospital on August 6.

The court heard McCormack was ‘‘so intoxicated and belligerent’’ he was taken by police to the hospital to detox and left in the care of hospital staff.

He began behaving in a ‘‘combative manner’’ to hospital staff and threatened to hit people.

Police were called and he continued his behaviour and resisted police as they tried to handcuff him. At the police station he continued, kicking out at one of the officers at one point.

Judge Farnan said there were ‘‘multiple victims’’ in the incident, all of whom were professionals doing their jobs.

‘‘[They] did not need their jobs made more difficult by your appalling behaviour,’’ she told him.

Other convictions

■ Kari Danielle Kiri Dickson (26), bartender, of Drummond, drinkdriving, 160mg, Gorge Rd, July 13 at Queenstown, fined $800, court costs $130, disqualified seven months.

■ Guillaume Alexandre Arnold (31), of France, living in Lake Hawea, drinkdriving, 592mcg, Lake HaweaAlbert Town Rd, August 28, fined $600, court costs $130, disqualified six months.

■ Sam Williams (29), of Frankton, breach of protection order, assault on person in a family relationship, July 3 at Queenstown; breach of protection order, July 5 at Queenstown, 18 months’ intensive supervision, with judicial monitoring and special conditions, 120 hours’ community work, three months’ community detention.

■ Shane George Prout (48), concrete worker, of Lake Hayes, assault on person in a family relationship, November 20 at Queenstown, nine months’ supervision with special conditions.

■ Corey David Young (34), painter, of Albert Town, breach of protection order, April 2 at Wanaka, six months’ supervision with special conditions.