Michael Anaki was sentenced to prison following a home invasion armed with a rifle.
Michael Anaki was sentenced to prison following a home invasion armed with a rifle.
A 501 deportee with an extensive criminal history in Australia has been sent back to prison, this time in New Zealand, after storming a man’s house, holding a gun to his head and demanding “where’s the tall guy?”
Michael Dean Robert Anaki, 44, and Aubrey Watts, 42, appeared for sentence in the Whangārei District Court this week in relation to an incident on July 17, 2023.
Armed with a cut-down .22 rifle equipped with a noise suppressor, Anaki and Watts arrived at the known victim’s door in Whangārei around 10pm. The pair knocked at the door and, upon the victim’s recognition of Anaki, gained entrance into the residence.
Once inside, Anaki proceeded to interrogate the victim, relentlessly questioning him about the identity of an individual referred to as “the tall guy.” It became apparent to the victim Anaki was on a mission to locate someone with whom he had a disagreement with months prior.
The situation escalated rapidly as Anaki pulled out the gun, its suppressor silenced, and pointed the gun at the victim’s chest, demanding information.
“You need to tell me where the tall guy is!” Anaki demanded.
The deportees are known as 501s, named after the character section of the Australian Migration Act that allows the cancellation of their visa. Photo / Channel 9
Anaki then put the gun to the victim’s head and, fearing for his life, he provided a location where the sought-after individual might be found.
As they left the address, police were called and the pair were arrested after the Armed Offenders Squad was called out.
Police located the bolt action rifle at the address, loaded with one round of ammunition.
Anaki was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm, presenting a firearm and a threatening act towards a dwelling, while Watts was charged with a threatening act towards a dwelling.
Defence lawyer Shivani Prakash said when Anaki arrived in New Zealand from Australia a few years prior, he was off his medication and had no support. Since his arrest, services had been wrapped around him.
The court heard Anaki had been offending since he was 12, began experimenting with alcohol and drugs at 13 and then suffered a head injury at age 14. Between 1999 and 2014, he had racked up a lengthy criminal history in Australia of burglary and robbery before his deportation in 2021.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, the victim said he knew both the men and had gone to school with Watts. He described feeling shocked they entered the house, which has since made him cautious about his everyday life.
Judge Taryn Bayley regarded the offending as serious intimidation and commented on Anaki’s remarks to pre-sentence report writers.
“This was a case of serious intimidation with the use of a firearm that had been modified with a silencer and was a potentially lethal weapon,” Judge Bayley said.
“There were two involved which increased the fear and clearly, it was planned.
“You [Anaki] now deny your offending and say you were not the individual involved. In that case, there can be no insight or remorse.
“You told report writers you want a better life in New Zealand and you’re not the same person as in Australia.
“I hope you stick to what you say and make positive steps.”
Anaki was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment and Watts 22 months.
Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.
