A 46-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a charge of illegally operating pokie machines at a Paraparaumu motorcycle clubroom.
Peter David Barber, a Paraparaumu labourer, faces up to a year in prison or a fine up to $20,000 for conducting illegal gambling after he appeared in Wellington District
Court today.
Another charge, of allowing a premises to be used for illegal gambling, was withdrawn.
The summary of facts, presented by prosecuting lawyer Saar Cohen-Ronen, stated in June last year, Department of Internal Affairs inspectors and police raided Barbers Paraparaumu property.
They found three plugged-in and operating pokie machines, and another machine packed up in the garage.
The three machines had a total of $1466 in the hoppers and cash boxes.
During the raid, police talked to Barber on the telephone, and he directed them to his bedroom -- and another moneybox, with $770 in it.
Inspectors also found a notebook, recording the machines take since May 2005. A financial analysis showed a total income of $4619.
When gambling inspectors talked to Barber in July, he declined to be formally interviewed, but said gambling was "his thing", it was his property and his hobby.
Barber was remanded for sentence until September 12 .
