Police case 'not strong'

The police case against two alleged burglars is not strong, says counsel.

One of the two men charged with burgling the Mangonui Four Square store on August 5 was granted bail when he appeared before the Kaitaia District Court last week, after counsel told Judge David Mather that police accepted that their evidence against 27-year-old Whangaroa farmer Neville Joseph Dangen was "not strong".

Dangen will be given a sentence indication today on the charge of burglary, and unrelated charges of driving whilst prohibited and with excess alcohol, and breaching a protection order. No pleas have been entered to any of the charges.

Counsel Michael Powell told Judge Mather that his client had no previous convictions for dishonesty, and that the only evidence against him regarding the burglary had been garnered from CCTV images, which had been misinterpreted.

Dangen was bailed on conditions including that he not go to the Four Square, and that he not contact the proprietor or his alleged co-offender, 35-year-old Kaitaia man Jade Te Paa.

Te Paa also appeared last week, on one charge of burglary, and was further remanded in custody. He will appear again today to make a bail application.

According to police, a man entered Mangonui Four Square about 2.45pm on August 5 and reached over the counter to grab money from the till. The shopkeeper slammed the drawer shut and in the ensuing struggle the till fell to the floor. The man snatched a few banknotes and ran out the door with the shopkeeper and members of the public in hot pursuit.

A woman unloading her shopping by the front door pushed a trolley in front of the suspect, causing him to panic and apparently forget about the getaway car.