Woman defiant over $9000 of parking fines

A woman who amassed thousands of dollars in fines for illegally parking her live-in house truck in one of the Wellington's busiest areas remained defiant when she appeared in Wellington District Court today.

Jennifer Graham had lived in a house-truck on Stout St for about 11 weeks, and had become a familiar feature of the central city.

She had received parking fines, totalling about $9000, and had been asked to move numerous times before her truck was impounded by the Wellington City Council and she was left homeless - despite the council offering her alternative accommodation.

Appearing in court without a lawyer, she faced charges of wilful trespass, possession of a cannabis plant, and possession of an instrument for cannabis use.

She was arrested for being on council property, but said had a right to be there and to make a statement about the unfair ways ordinary people were treated by politicians.

"I'm innocent of trespass because I was lawfully on the premises... and if [former Greens MP Nandor Tanzos] is innocent of cannabis, then so am I," she said.

Graham refused to sign bail sheets which would allow her to avoid police custody.

"I'm going to insist on being in jail until I get a fair hearing," she said.

But Judge Bruce Davidson waived the requirement and remanded her at large until her defended hearing on October 1.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Kevin Shaw said this decision would probably mean the court would "see her shortly".

- NZPA