Police hope rare charge will thwart underage parties

James Zachary Moore, 21, was arrested on Saturday, August 21, after a party he organised got out of control. Photo / Thinkstock

Police are hoping to thwart underage parties this summer after making public a rare case - a university student convicted of hosting an unlicensed party. Police last year charged James Zachary Moore, 21, with hosting an unlicensed party, which carries a maximum fine of $20,000.

He was arrested on Saturday, August 21, after a warehouse party he organised in the west Auckland suburb of Kelston got out of control. He had promoted it on Facebook as an R16 event but teens brought their own alcohol.

Moore rented the Cartwright Rd warehouse from Elana Derova and told her it was an alcohol-free event for about 150 people, and that he had hired five security guards.

Instead about 491 partygoers paid $10 each for a ticket, which would have netted him more than $3000. Moore's friend, Kevin Flaherty, was asked to pose as a security company owner if questions were asked.

Moore was fined $200 and $130 in court costs.