A Te Teko man accused of impersonating a police officer and kidnapping has been remanded in custody following an appearance in the Whakatāne District Court on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old, who has interim name suppression, was one of three arrested by police following an incident on Sunday in which two youths, aged 12 and 16, were allegedly detained.

Police allege the trio – two men and a woman – presented themselves as police officers and appeared to be driving in an unmarked police car.

The 19-year-old is charged with indecent assault, two counts of kidnapping and two counts of impersonating a police officer.

Lawyer Natasha Hartigan sought bail for the man on Wednesday, with two proposed addresses offered.

Police and the families of the victims opposed bail.

Judge Loius Bidois refused to grant standard bail but in remanding the man in custody until October 7, invited an electronically monitored bail application.

A 25-year-old woman is due to appear in court on September 29 charged with kidnapping.

A 34-year-old man was also arrested in relation to this incident and prior incidents of impersonating police.

He has been remanded in custody and will reappear in the Whakatāne District Court on October 7 charged with impersonating personnel, indecent assault, intimidation, two counts of kidnapping, and five counts of impersonating police.

Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Clements said enquiries were ongoing.

“We would like to hear from anyone across the Eastern Bay of Plenty area who may have had interactions with members of this group, or anyone else using the black 2017 Holden Commodore under the false pretences that they were police officers,” he said.

Any information can be provided through 105, either online or over the phone, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 using file number 260914/4066.

“Anyone who doubts that they are speaking with a real police officer is urged to ask for their police issued ID, and if you still have concerns, call 111 immediately and a police communicator can identify the officer for you.”

Gisborne sentencing date

Marie-June Taiapa has pleaded guilty to theft, burglary and unlawfully taking a $60,000 Toyota Hilux and will be sentenced on October 28 in Gisborne, where she is due to appear on other matters.

Taiapa appeared via audio visual link from prison, where she had been on remand for five months.

A further charge of taking a bankcard was withdrawn by police.

Lawyer Lisa Ebbers said Taiapa had significant issues with alcohol and methamphetamine at the time of the offending.

“She was really struggling at the time and not in control of herself because of her addictions.”

But she had since taken some positive steps forward by approaching the Grace Foundation rehabilitation centre, which had agreed to take her in.

Home D for robbery

A 21-year-old Kawerau woman has been sentenced to 10-and-a-half months’ home detention for her part in an aggravated robbery in February.

Armed with a knife, Omaio-Mihirawhiti Kete Purewa Gage-Williams robbed a man of two hats, a scooter engine flap, a scooter key and T-shirt.

She was one of three involved in the robbery, with her two co-offenders said to be responsible for dishing out the violence.

Lawyer Rebecca Plunket said Gage-Williams had been actively enveloped in gang culture growing up and had experienced a great deal of trauma in her life.

Public dump ends behind bars

A homeless man was back behind bars within days of being released from prison after defecating in public and breaching his release conditions.

Jason Clay, who has substance, behaviour and mental health issues, had been out of prison for only two days when he was arrested for a breach of his release conditions.

He was also charged with failing to provide his fingerprints to police and two counts of excreting in a public place.

The in-court forensic nurse told the judge that Clay was well known to Rotorua Police and had been effectively “dumped” in Whakatāne following his release from prison, with no support in place. The only accommodation available was near a school.

He said Clay needed to be in supported accommodation although he did not last long in those places because he was a “bit of a free spirit” and did what he wanted to do.

Clay was released from prison on August 19 and his first offence was on August 21 when, in breach of his release conditions, he approached a 14-year-old to ask for cigarettes.

With regard to refusing to provide his fingerprints to police, duty lawyer Jonathan Kay said Clay had thought he was within his rights to refuse.

Clay was sentenced to two months in prison, which given the month had already spent on remand, would see him released within days.

Bail granted

Kauri Hepi of Kawerau was bailed on charges of intimidation, possession of an offensive weapon and unlawfully being in an enclosed yard.

Police withdrew a charge of escaping custody.

The 26-year-old will reappear on October 22.

Rehab success highlighted

Anthony Moore is doing well with his rehabilitation and showing motivation to change and address his issues, lawyer Lisa Ebbers told the court at his sentencing.

Moore, 40, appeared for sentence on charges of receiving, escaping police, reckless driving, unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle, failing to stop, driving while disqualified, breaching bail and three counts of dangerous driving.

Judge Bidois previously indicated a sentencing start point of 34 months in prison and, with credit for the time Moore had spent in custody and other factors, reached an end sentence of six months’ prison. This was converted to three months’ home detention to be served at the Grace Foundation, where he is already residing.

“Do not undo all the good work you have done – you have done really well,” Judge Bidois said.

Bail declined

Judge Bidois refused to grant Sydney Jones bail because the address proposed was too close to the complainant of his offending.

He remanded the 32-year-old Whakatāne man to October 7 on charges of breaching a protection order, possession of utensils for consuming methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine, failing to stop and escaping custody.

Nowhere to stay

Police did not oppose bail for Raymond Belsey but with nowhere to live and difficulties getting to court, the 31-year-old Ōpōtiki man asked to be remanded in custody.

Belsey is charged with three counts of shoplifting, wilful damage and possession of cannabis.

Judge Bidois remanded him in custody to appear in the Ōpōtiki District Court on October 1.

“It’s unfortunate,” he said. “But if you don’t have somewhere to stay, you are at risk of shoplifting just to survive.”

“Extreme behaviour” – judge

Taihakoa Takao pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, behaving threateningly and intentional damage, and was sentenced to 180 hours’ community work.

He was disqualified from driving for six months.

Lawyer Paul Devoy said the charges related to a domestic situation that went wrong.

They had since sorted everything out and Takao realised he shouldn’t have behaved in this manner. He had also fixed the damage caused to a car.

Judge Bidois said it was extreme behaviour for an argument relating to use of a car.

Charge upgraded

Police have upgraded a charge of common assault laid against Richard Tana Bennett to one of rendering unconcious.

The 47-year-old Taneātua man will defend this charge, along with charges of theft, possession of cannabis and assault on police, at a judge-alone trial on November 26.

Trial date set

A judge-alone trial date of January 15 has been set for 52-year-old Kawerau man Cedric Teriini to defend charges of injuring with intent to injure, possession of a knife in a public place and breach of a protection order.

Two times the limit

Daniel Roberts was more than twice the legal limit for driving when he crossed the centreline and collided with the guard rail of a bridge.

Roberts, 43, was hospitalised following the accident and later charged with driving with excess breath alcohol and careless driving.

His blood alcohol at the time was 195 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood.

Lawyer Jonathan Kay said Roberts had been drinking at a friend’s home before getting in his car to drive.

Roberts was sentenced to 12 months’ supervision, 220 hours’ community work and disqualified from driving for 12 months and one day. He must also pay $115 for the blood test.

Home D appendices

Judge Bidois has sought home detention appendices be provided for the sentencing of Mahu Moeke on December 16.

Moeke has pleaded guilty to charges of driving with excess breath alcohol, driving while disqualified and unlawful possession of ammunition.