'That's a pretty expensive pie': Man on bail accused of curfew breach over late-night lockdown snack

The lure of a late-night pie proved too tempting for a man on 24-hour curfew. Photo / NZME

A late-night pie is a tempting treat for many.

But midnight service station visits for the classic Kiwi cuisine are rarely as dramatic as for a young Auckland man early this morning.

It didn't help that the Māngere Bridge man was on a 24-hour curfew already.

It also didn't help that the 26-year-old allegedly wasn't wearing a face mask when he turned up at the service station forecourt.

"He was buying a pie at the BP station, Sir," a defence lawyer told Judge David Harvey at Manukau District Court today.

"He's prepared to go back to Mt Eden for a pie? That's a pretty expensive pie," the judge replied.

The judge addressed the 26-year-old.

"For heaven's sake. You've been in lockdown for the last five weeks. What's another few days?"

A Māngere Bridge man landed in deep trouble after ambling to the local service station for a level 3 pie. Photo / Google

Judge Harvey then shared his views on lockdown.

"I love it. It's a perfect way of living, as far as I'm concerned."

He then served up some ruminations on New Zealand's apparent obsession with fast food.

"Can somebody tell me, what's the fascination with takeaway food?"

Judge Harvey said "the whole country goes crazy" about fast food in alert level 3.

"Have they got heroin in that or something, that so many people are addicted to it?"

The pie enthusiast was not sent to Mt Eden prison, but remanded on bail and will next appear on October 18.

He faces charges including failing to comply with a Covid-19 direction, which carries a maximum penalty of $4000 or six months' jail.

He was also charged this morning with resisting arrest.

The judge suggested the defendant use modern-day technology to get his next food fix without breaching bail.

"All he needs to do is get Uber Eats to bring him one."