Man stuffed thousands of dollars in bar takings into his trousers

File photo / NZ Herald

A Kumara resident who stuffed $3600 from a hotel bar safe into his trousers was remanded in custody in the Greymouth District Court yesterday.

Tangata Ponini had been drinking at Revingtons Hotel on April 26 when someone playing on the pokies hit the jackpot. The barman went to the safe and took out $840 to give to the winner.

While the barman's back was turned, Ponini went to the safe and put $3600 down his trousers and then left the bar.

He pleaded guilty to the theft. Ponini also admitted three counts of failing to answer court bail, common assault and wilful damage. He was remanded in custody to be sentenced on those charges on February 10.

However, he denied a further charge of breaching a protection order. Ponini was arrested on December 6, just three days before he had been due to appear in court on the other charges, after he was invited by his former partner, who he was forbidden from seeing under the terms of a protection order, to visit her and their children in Rotorua.

However, the partner had later reported Ponini to police, on a matter currently being investigated by police, and he was subsequently arrested.

Judge Brian Callaghan said he was not prepared to grant Ponini bail as he had breached his bail on May 29, July 29 and August 26.

The judge said Ponini could not be trusted to turn up at court of his own accord, as his conduct had shown he did not comply with bail arrangements. He was remanded in custody to appear on the breach of the protection order on January 20.