KEY POINTS:
A Papamoa teenager who left a filthy phone message for a mother about her daughter got a telling off in the Tauranga District Court yesterday.
Paul Mitchell Walker, 17, a storeman, pleaded guilty to using indecent and obscene language by telephone with the intention of offending the recipient.
"Shame on you," scolded community magistrate Heather White. "You do realise you have left yourself open to three months in prison?"
The alternative maximum penalty was a $2000 fine.
Prosecutor David Pawson told the court Walker met up with some associates at Papamoa about 7.30pm on June 22. Spurred on by them, he dialled a telephone number with the intention of making an obscene call.
When the phone switched through to the answer machine, Walker left "an extremely disturbing message" referring to the victim's daughter.
"I am not going to read that out loud," said Mr Pawson, referring the magistrate to a written copy. "It is utterly disgusting."
The mother found the message when she came home a few days later, he said.
Walker admitted to police it was a stupid thing to do. He was fined $450 and ordered to pay $200 of that to the complainant.
"It will be some recompense for the emotional harm you undoubtedly caused," Mrs White said.
"Yep," Walker responded, before asking to pay by instalments. When they were set at $50 a week he said he could not afford it.
"I'm currently flatting and pretty broke. I already pay $40 in fines a week."
Mrs White reduced the instalments to $20, saying: "I can't find it in my heart to feel sorry for you."
- NZPA
