Uruguayan guilty of assault

A Uruguayan national who began pouring beer into his mouth directly from the tap at a Blenheim bar was thrown out and charged with assault.

In Blenheim District Court yesterday, Diego Raul Burgos Guarino, 26, admitted assaulting the manager of the Cornerstone Bar and Restaurant.

Guarino was ordered to appear for sentence if called within six months and to pay $200 emotional harm reparation.

Police prosecuting sergeant Steve Frost said Guarino became unhappy at 12.10am on June 25 about being refused service at the bar. He leaned over the bar and began pouring beer directly into his mouth from a nearby tap.

The manager pushed Guarino back and was escorting him outside when he began swinging his arms attempting to hit the manager.

Guarino spat at the manager before walking to the fireplace near the back of the bar, Mr Frost said. He threw a rock from the fireplace, narrowly missing the manager before being told the police were on their way.

Guarino scaled the outside fence but was later found by police.

Defence counsel Tane Brunt said leaning over the bar "was meant to be a joke, but was taken the wrong way by the manager".

Guarino denied throwing the rock because there were no blisters on his hand from the heat of the rock, Mr Brunt said.

Judge Geoffrey Ellis said he wondered if this was the night "Uruguay blatantly cheated to beat Ghana in the World Cup match".

"If he was drowning his sorrows I may have understood", Judge Ellis said.

STOLE FROM WORK

A Blenheim woman who took advantage of her employer by stealing from a work safe was sentenced to community work yesterday.

Karen Morrison, 32, part of a volunteer fire brigade for 14 years, admitted six charges of theft by a person in a special relationship and was sentenced to 60 hours' community work.

Mr Frost said Morrison worked as a chef for Moose Bar and Restaurant in Te Anau and had been in charge of balancing weekly takings which included counting money and putting it in safes in the office.

She stole a total of $1000 over three months in 2009 and was caught by her employer, who installed security cameras because she thought one of her employees was stealing money, Mr Frost said.

Morrison told police she took between $150 and $200 each time hoping the owner would think it was an error with the gaming machines.

She took the money for a drinking problem she could no longer afford, Mr Frost said.

Defence lawyer Luke Radich said the offending was "certainly not a one-off" but was still out of character.

Morrison, who had moved to Blenheim from Invercargill, was employed as a farm worker and held in high regard by her employer, Mr Radich said.

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She was remorseful and had paid the money back within a week of her former employer finding out.

Judge Ellis said Morrison committed a "breach of trust which was repeated until you were caught".

CANNABIS HARVEST

A Blenheim man admitted charges of possessing and cultivating cannabis after a police surveillance operation filmed him harvesting 74 mature plants.

John Richard Berry, 41, a gardener, admitted possession of cannabis and two charges of cannabis cultivation.

Mr Frost said police were told of a cannabis plot in the bush by the George River in Clarence. They found 74 plants 2m high enclosed in wire netting covering an area of 10m by 20m.

The plot was lined with plastic to collect rain water which was used to water the plants.

Police returned several days later to find the majority of the cannabis had been harvested, Mr Frost said.

Berry and an associate were clearly seen on video taking the cannabis, he said. Police searched Berry's home on May 14 and found a total of 3.4kg of cannabis, including cannabis hanging on a tree drying at the back of the section and 21 plants growing in a shed.

Berry admitted growing the cannabis in the Clarence Valley and carried his share out in a sports bag, Mr Frost said. He told police it was for his own use and was his supply for the year.

Defence lawyer Rob Harrison said the 3.4kg of cannabis found was the "wet weight" not the dry weight, which he said would be considerably less.

Berry's bail was continued and he will reappear on July 19 to set a date for sentencing.

THEFT A HABIT

A 25-year-old Blenheim man who admitted theft and shoplifting was an "habitual thief", the judge said.

Nioulini David Fotu, a vineyard worker, admitted two charges of shoplifting and two of theft, but has denied one charge of burglary.

Judge Ellis did not believe Fotu's excuse about being too drunk when the thefts happened.

"You were not so intoxicated you did not know what you were doing. I think you're just a habitual thief taking advantage of everyone in the community," he said.

Mr Frost said Fotu had been at a rugby club room in Blenheim on June 12 and picked up a cellphone from a table after the owner walked away, but was found out when the person began looking for it.

Mr Frost said Fotu then walked to the Woodbourne Tavern where he waited for a woman to go to the bathroom then took her phone.

Growing in confidence, Fotu went into the neighbouring bottle shop and put a bottle of Jim Beam in his pants and took it outside before returning for a bottle of tequila.

Defence counsel John Holdaway said Fotu's offending was "alcohol-fuelled" and he was getting treatment for his alcohol problem "off his own back".

Fotu's bail was continued and is to reappear for sentencing on September 6

YOUTH STOLE A CAR

An unemployed Blenheim youth who stole a car from a young family "should pay for the intrusion" made on their lives, Judge Ellis said.

Samuel James Koroheke, 17, admitted stealing a car and stealing petrol from a service station in Nelson.

He was ordered to pay $1000 in emotional harm reparation to the family he "grossly inconvenienced" as well as reparation for the petrol he stole from BP in Richmond, Nelson.

Mr Frost said Koroheke and an associate took the car on January 9 using the keys left in the ignition. They drove to Nelson where they stole $85.53 of petrol.

The car was found by the Wairau River "damaged and no longer operable".

Defence counsel Philip Watson said it was an opportunistic matter and Koroheke admitted guilt at the earliest stage and deserved credit for that.

Judge Ellis said it would be of even greater credit if he recognised the gross inconvenience it cause to the victims.

WELD PASS HIT-AND-RUN

A 55-year-old man involved in a hit-and-run crash in the Weld Pass in May will enter pleas on his next appearance in court.

Clifford Brent Markland, a beneficiary from Blenheim, faces a charge of dangerous driving causing injury and failing to offer assistance after an injury accident.

A 37-year-old Christchurch man was seriously injured in the crash just after midnight on May 16. Markland's bail was continued and he is to reappear on July 20.

BAIL FOR ASSAULT ACCUSED

A 28-year-old Blenheim man charged with assault with intent to injure was granted bail yesterday.

Jonathon Mark Nicholson, a factory worker, entered no plea to a charge of assault on July 3 and is to reappear on July 26.No plea for cleaner An 18-year-old cleaner entered no plea to two charges of assault with intent to injure yesterday.

Haelyn Delill Kingi, was remanded on bail to reappear on July 26 for the assault on July 3.

WEAPON CHARGE REMAND

A Blenheim man facing a charge of assault with a weapon was remanded on bail to apply for legal aid.

Shanon Eric George Takimoana, 18, has entered no plea to assault on July 3 and is to reappear on July 26.

The Marlborough Express

Last updated 12:00 06/07/2010