Female drink-driver hits pole

ON A LEAN: Police are seeking more than $11,000 in reparation from drink-driver Myrtle Ratapu, who smashed into this power pole while driving carelessly. PHOTO/FILE A-WTA080913KHCRASH01

Facing her third or subsequent drink-driving conviction, Myrtle Elizabeth Ratapu, 56, pleaded guilty to charges of careless driving and drink-driving when she appeared before Judge Bill Hastings in Masterton District Court. On September 8, Ratapu lost control of her car as she drove on Te Ore Ore Rd, slamming into a power pole. An alcohol breath reading found her to be above the legal limit of 400 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. Police prosecutor Jodi Lawrence said police would be seeking $11,969 in reparation for the damaged power pole. Ratapu was remanded at large for a pre-sentence report and sentencing on November 25.

Hive theft plea
Accused of stealing beehives worth more than $15,000, Jaime Daniel McRae, 21, has elected trial by jury. The bricklayer, appeared before Judge Bill Hastings in Masterton District Court recently, entering a not-guilty plea to stealing beehives worth $5000 from Kiwi Bee Ltd on August 28, and stealing beehives and equipment worth $10,000, the property of Wairarapa Manuka Honey Ltd between January 1 and September 2, this year. It is also alleged he received a beehive worth $250 between the same period of time. He was remanded on bail to appear in Wellington District Court on December 19 for a case review and trial date to be set.

Work ordered
A sentence of home detention was swapped for community work when Duane Michael Fricker appeared before Judge Bill Hastings in Masterton District Court recently. He pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching home detention, with six weeks of his original sentence still to go. Judge Hastings cancelled the original sentence and ordered he complete 40 hours' community work. Meanwhile, Fricker has been remanded at large to reappear in court on November 12 for a case review on another charge of breach of home detention and three counts of driving while disqualified.

Defence lawyer Louise Elder told the court the issue was about whether he had a reasonable excuse.

Diversion chance
A man facing a charge of careless driving is to be considered for police diversion. Jamie Paul McMaster pleaded guilty to the charge when he appeared before Judge Bill Hastings in Masterton District Court. McMaster was remanded at large for police to consider him for diversion, which means he won't get a conviction if he follows through on recommendations put to him. He is due back in court on October 31.

No plea over axe
A 55-year-old man has appeared in court entering no plea to a charge of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place - namely an axe - and the intentional damage of a Carterton resident's letterbox. Stephen Robert Walker is alleged to have committed the offences in Carterton on October 10. Judge Bill Hastings remanded Walker on bail without plea to seek legal advice. He is due back in court on November 7 to plead to the charges.

Assault guilt
Police are considering diversion or Restorative Justice for a Featherston man who pleaded guilty to assault and didn't want to see a lawyer. Grant Ivan Adams, 34, declined a lawyer when he appeared before Judge Bill Hastings in Masterton District Court but handed up a letter to the judge. Police prosecutor Jodi Lawrence said police could look at the two alternatives to try to resolve the charges as the incident at Featherston on July 28, when Adams assaulted a neighbour was minor. He was remanded at large to reappear in court on November 28.