Kerre Woodham: It's simple, officer, pie man needed a feed

Let the man eat his pies. Photo / Supplied

You'd have to wonder why police are bothering to charge a Nelson man, Reece Gibbs, with theft after he liberated nine pies from a rubbish bin.

There was no doubt that the pies had been chucked out and his lawyer, Craig Stevenson, who'd been appointed on legal aid, said he didn't see why the public purse should be put to the expense of paying him, given that the pies were rubbish and that Gibbs had no previous convictions. Quite right.

Nelson must be a lovely place to live if the police consider answering the question of who ate all the pies be worthy of their time and resources. A caller of mine thought that perhaps police were miffed because Gibbs hadn't blown on the pies - after all, that is key to building safer communities together.

Judge Susan Thomas remanded the case and asked the police to consider whether they really wished to proceed with the prosecution. I hope they don't - because if the facts are as reported, Nelson police appear petty and mean.

If Gibbs is so hungry that he's taking pies out of a waste bin, he needs a feed not a conviction.