Intersection accident a ‘moment of distraction’

A woman who failed to stop at a Thornton intersection and T-boned another motorist has been sentenced to the maximum amount of community work.

Belinda King appeared in the Whakatāne District Court for sentence on Wednesday on charges of dangerous driving causing injury and driving while disqualified.

At the time of the accident, King, 28, was homeless and living with her partner in a car at Thornton.

On July 27, 2025 she was driving on Thornton Road, with her partner lying in the backseat unwell, when she failed to stop at the intersection and hit a vehicle that was travelling along the highway.

Her lawyer, Rebecca Plunket, said it was a “moment of distraction” and King was genuinely remorseful for her actions and the injuries suffered by the driver of the other vehicle.

She did not see the end of the road where it met the highway, and did not see the other vehicle.

Judge Louis Bidois said King was disqualified at the time and should not have been driving.

He noted that although she had initially indicated she was willing to take part in restorative justice with the victim, she did not respond to further communication and restorative justice was not pursued.

Because King remains homeless with no address to serve an electronically monitored sentence such as home detention, sentencing options were limited.

Judge Bidois said there was no alcohol or speed involved in the crash, so he could step back from a sentence of prison.

He sentenced her to 400 hours of community work and 12 months’ supervision.

“You failed to complete your last sentence of community work; if you fail to complete this sentence, you are going to end up in jail,” he warned her.

He also ordered her to pay $500 emotional harm reparation to the driver she injured and $500 reparation to cover the insurance excess.

Birthday drinks

Making the decision to drive after a few beers on his birthday has cost John Gavin his licence for 12 months and $600.

Gavin pleaded guilty to drink driving on December 26. His lawyer, Kylee O’Connor, explained that it was his birthday and he had been having a few drinks then decided to drive to get some food.

He had a breath alcohol level of 589 micrograms at the time. The legal level for driving is 250mcg.

“It was your birthday, so all the reason to celebrate,” said Judge Bidois.

“But it was Boxing Day; you should have had some leftovers from Christmas rather than go to Burger King.”

This was Gavin’s fourth drink-driving offence, the last one being in 2018.

Judge Bidois said he’d had the discipline in the past not to drive while disqualified and urged Gavin to do the same this time.

Convicted and discharge

Joe Nika Morehu failed to complete the steps required for diversion on a common assault charge, telling the court he did not know what do do.

Judge Bidois instead convicted and discharged him, and ordered him to pay $250 emotional harm to the person he assaulted.

Emotional harm reparation ordered

Thornton man Richard McCauley was placed on a good behaviour bond when he appeared for sentence on a charge of assault.

His lawyer, Rebecca Plunket, said McCauley, 31, had finished a home detention sentence in February and had been on electronically monitored bail for three months on this charge.

Given he had essentially been on a 24-hour curfew for what she described as “a push”, she asked Judge Bidois to convict and discharge him.

However, the judge said the statement of facts showed it was more than a push and McCauley had a bad history for violence.

Given McCauley had been on EM bail for a “considerable time”, he sentenced him to come up if called upon within six months.

“If you get into trouble in the next six months, police can apply to have you resentenced on this matter,” he said.

“If you touch anyone again, you will be remanded in custody and go to jail.”

He also ordered $250 emotional harm reparation to be paid to the victim.

Broken door

Kane Te Kiri has been sentenced to 80 hours’ community work on a charge of wilful damage.

He must also pay $250 reparation for the pub door he kicked and broke.

“Try punching or kicking a power pole – something that might hurt you rather than you hurting something else,” Judge Bidois told him.

“You need to stop this behaviour ... you don’t smash other people’s property.

“You are lucky your are not barred from there.”

Further case review

Four people jointly charged with violence offences have been remanded to a further case review date.

Britney Rose Dahm, 25, Anaru Nikorima Te Rire, 25 and Atamarie Te Rire, 28, all from Kawerau, and Tipene Te Rire, 27, from Te Teko are charged with injuring with intent to cause grievous and two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Tipene Te Rire faces a further charge of failure to assist with a search.

The charges relate to an incident at Te Teko on October 18.

The four have denied the charges and have been remanded on bail until June 18 to allow their respective lawyers to properly review material pertaining to the case.

Further remand

Cameron Howard, 37, appeared for case review on charges of impeding breathing, rape and doing an indecent act.

The charges relate to incidents in 2024 and involve a girl aged between 12 and 16.

The Kawerau man will next appear on June 26.

Home detention sentence

Following two “positive” restorative justice meetings with his victims, John Munro has been sentenced to three months’ home detention on charges of careless driving, driving while disqualified and two counts of assault on a person in a family relationship.

His lawyer, Helen Gould, said the restorative justice conferences provided the opportunity to reflect on the trigger to his offending, which was his alcohol consumption.

The three-month home detention sentence imposed took into account the six months Munro had already spend in custody on remand.

He was also disqualified from driving for a year.