Unruly tourists on their way Teachers on way
The group of unruly British tourists who have made the news around the world appear to have started leaving the country, with four boarding a flight to Hong Kong yesterday.
The Herald understands the four were on a flight which left Auckland Airport at 3pm.
Four others were seen leaving the airport in a car but drove off when approached by the Herald.
The group, including the man who called himself John Johnson, were spotted again in central Auckland later yesterday afternoon.
Their bashed up and grubby Honda Odyssey had been parked in a loading zone on Shortland St for hours and was ticketed for overstaying the five minute time-limit.
The oldest man in the group eventually returned to the vehicle, which had two suitcases in it, around 4.45pm.
Ignoring a reporter, he fired up the van and drove around the corner into Queen St. Other family members, including John Johnson and a woman, got in near Vulcan Lane.
The true identities of the family also came to light yesterday.
The eldest member is 55-year-old grandmother Barbara Doran, the Daily Mail Australia reported.
“John Johnson”, the unofficial spokesman for the family, is in fact named Joe Doran, the paper said.
He’s married to Miley Doran and the pair have reportedly lived in various caravan parks around Britain’s East Midlands.
Barbara Doran also told the Daily Mail she was too scared to sleep at night and that the family believed they were being “tortured” by the New Zealand public.
“I’m very, very frightened, honestly.”
The family have made headlines around the world as “holidaymakers from hell” after leaving rubbish on Takapuna Beach and abusing a local woman.
Members of the group arrived in New Zealand on December 29 and have stayed in the news ever since the video of them leaving rubbish on the beach emerged.
There have been several accounts of members refusing to pay for food or services, hectoring hospitality staff and claiming their food had been contaminated by ants or hair.
Last Wednesday, a 26-year-old woman from the group pleaded guilty in the Hamilton District Court to stealing energy drinks, a rope and sunglasses from an Auckland service station on two separate occasions. The court heard Tina Maria Cash stole a can of Red Bull from a Caltex service station at Albany on December 31. On January 3, she returned to the station with her children and stole more Red Bull, rope and sunglasses valued at $50.
Last Tuesday the family were trespassed from Burger King Te Rapa after they walked through the drivethrough. Police and Immigration staff spoke to them outside the restaurant and issued a number of them with deportation liability notices. At the weekend they were accused of leaving a motel “stinking of kids’ poo”. More than 7300 overseas teachers are keen to work in New Zealand, of whom nearly 1000 have been screened and are available for interviews, says the Ministry of Education. It has projected a shortage of 850 teachers this year. Ellen MacGregor-Reid, the ministry’s deputy secretary for early learning and student achievement, says its recruitment agencies are now supporting the teachers to be considered for roles, having interviews, accepting job offers and completing requirements to come to New Zealand.