Tears flow as man who threw wheel told to expect jail

Stacey Roamana Pakaru

Quiet sobs shook the large frame of Stacey Roamana Pakaru last night as Justice Lester Chisholm told the 28-year-old to expect a prison sentence.

He had just been found guilty in the High Court at Hamilton of hurling a wheel-rim like a discus into a crowd at Welcome Bay, Tauranga.

The party at the bay spun out of control on the night of January 7, when a large number of police arrived. After bottles were thrown and fights began, the police used batons and pepper spray and a scene of chaos unfolded.

Three wheel-rims were hurled. The one Pakaru threw hit Constable Deborah Jay in the head, fracturing her skull and leaving her with a lacerated forehead, a broken nose, a broken collarbone and two broken teeth.

While the jury found Pakaru guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard for the safety of others, he was acquitted of the more serious charge of injuring with intent. The jury took six hours and 45 minutes to decide.

Emotional scenes took place at the courtroom in the moments leading up to the verdict.

A tight-knit whanau - who have attended the hearing on all four days this week - spent a few minutes in the foyer saying a Maori prayer. The group then broke into a quiet and sombre Maori song.

Minutes later they were called in to hear Pakaru's fate, and many broke down in tears on hearing the verdict. There were sighs and short words of relief when they heard that the more serious of the two charges had not been proven.

Noting that imprisonment was "virtually inevitable", Justice Chisholm took some time to consider whether to release Pakaru on bail while awaiting sentence.

He asked Crown prosecutor Greg Hollister-Jones and Pakaru's defence counsel, Tony Balme, for their thoughts.

"As you can see this man has a wonderful, supportive family," Mr Balme said.

"He would be going home to his partner and young child. Knowing the outcome, it would be enormously appreciated if he had that time [on bail]."

Justice Chisholm asked Pakaru's father in the public gallery whether he would take responsibility for ensuring his son turned up for sentencing on September 29. On getting that guarantee, he released Pakaru on bail.