Police crackdown on gangs extended, Three Waters entrenchment warnings were made & rare protests sweep China in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
An Auckland real estate agent jailed for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a speedway promoter and bowling club has reportedly been attacked in prison for the second time in as little as three months.
Aaron Drever was assaulted on the morning of November 16 at Ngawha Prison in Northland.
David Pattinson, prison pirector, Northland Region Corrections Facility, said the attack was carried out by another inmate and it took place in the kitchen.
Drever was allegedly struck in the face with a metal grille hook which slashed open his face and exposed his nasal cavity, Stuff reported.
Corrections staff provided first aid before Drever was taken to hospital for further observation. He returned to the prison later the same day and staff are continuing to monitor him.
“Staff responded quickly to separate the prisoners and move the alleged perpetrator out of the kitchen,” said Pattison.
Pattison said the attacking inmate has been charged with misconduct and police have been notified of the incident.
Pattison also clarified that the man was employed in the kitchen and working at the time of the incident.
A source also revealed to Stuff that Drever was attacked at Mt Eden Prison earlier this year, shortly after being sentenced and while awaiting a transfer. Corrections said they had no record of the assault.
Drever was jailed in August after pleading guilty to a raft of dishonesty and forgery charges in Auckland District Court.
The 39-year-old was ordered to serve two years and two months.
Aaron Drever appears at Auckland District Court for sentencing. Photo / Michael Craig
"The effects of those losses are extremely real for those people you stole from," the judge said.
"You can't avoid prison for what you did."
Drever, once one of the country's most successful and high-profile agents, was struck off in 2016 after notching up a record 12 adverse disciplinary findings, including professional misconduct.
In November of that year, he was approached by Avondale Bowling Club for advice on selling a 1600sq m parcel of land.
Days later Drever announced he had found a buyer and prepared a sale and purchase agreement with a sale price of $330,000.
The vendor was Avondale Bowling Club Incorporated.
A summary of facts shows Drever secretly set up a company called Avondale Bowling Club Limited to buy the land under the name of his aunt Beverley Ellen Spain.
He then prepared a second sale and purchase agreement between Spain's company Avondale Bowling Club Limited and 88 Cents Limited, a company owned by property developer Jonathan Michell.
Former real estate agent Aaron Drever at his Grocer's Market store in Mt Eden before the business was liquidated. Photo / NZME
The purchase price was $825,000 - an instant mark-up of nearly $500,000.
Both sales settled contemporaneously on December 6, 2016.
Drever was later charged with obtaining by deception, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years' jail.
He admitted failing to disclose his financial interest in the deal, his relationship with Spain or that he knew the property was worth far more than the initial purchase price.
The second lot of charges related to offending at Auckland Speedway in 2019 involving complainant companies Springs Promotions Ltd and Speedway Racing Ltd.
Both companies are owned by Bill Buckley who ran speedway meetings at Western Springs Stadium.
A summary of facts said Drever was a speedway enthusiast and long-time family friend of Buckley.
Former Western Springs Speedway promoter Bill Buckley offered Aaron Drever a job but would soon live to regret it. Photo / Michael Craig
In September 2019, Drever offered to volunteer for Springs Promotions Ltd to assist in preparation for the upcoming speedway season.
Between October 8 and December 13 of that year, Drever created 10 false invoices under the name Billboard Solutions, a legitimate company which provided advertising billboards.
He included a false GST number and made the invoice payable to an ANZ account belonging to a fast food business he was linked to.
Drever then presented the fictitious invoices - totalling $86,247.99 - to Buckley to sign off for payment.
Between October 8 and October 14, Drever created two further false invoices under the name Toy & Model Collectors Market Ltd, which is not a legitimate company.
The invoices totalled $15,742.93 and purported to be for purchasing model cars.
The money was paid into an ANZ account belonging to a wealthy Australian businessman “of which the defendant has an interest in”.
The total loss to Buckley’s companies was $101,990.92.
