Indecent assault

A man charged with indecent assault will find himself back in court in October.

The man, who has name suppression, was charged with assaulting a woman over 16.

Judge Dravitzki said in the summary of facts that the defendant and victim were known to each other.

He read that the man “slapped the victim on the bottom, between the legs”.

Dravitzki said that the act certainly couldn’t have been considered an accident.

“A very wide range of potential sentences that come from a charge of indecent assault,” he told the man.

No conviction was entered on the day but the defendant intends to enter a guilty plea at his next appearance in October.

E-bike theft

An Ashburton man has pleaded guilty to stealing an e-bike last month.

On July 6, Tawhiri Matea Hemi got out of a Subaru, covered his face and stole an e-bike left unchained outside the Devon Tavern.

He had failed to appear in court on July 15 following this matter.

Hemi had been charged last year with a similar offence of stealing a vehicle, noted Judge Dravitzki.

He pleaded guilty and was remanded until September 27.

Common assault

A Netherby man proved to the court that he was improving his behaviour following an assault incident.

Patrick Bruce Keen, 38, is known to the court for cannabis related issues and threatening behaviour.

He was in court this week for assaulting a family member. The relative had been living with Keen and had “gotten on his nerves” earlier in the day.

So Keen kicked him out of the property.

Keen encountered the relative while out later on and “lost his temper” and broke the victim’s glasses in a fight.

Judge Dravitzki said Keen was lucky no serious injuries arose from the fight, “or you would be facing a much more serious sentence.’’

He said Keen’s behaviour in the period after the offending showed he was “trying to get better.”

“It does seem that you have recently made some progress.”

Corrections said Keen had completed his community work and was making big steps to improve his behaviour.

Keen was given an intensive supervision order for 12 months, and ordered to pay $50 for the broken glasses and $300 as an emotional harm payment.

Dravitzki said intensive supervision would help Keen continue to improve his behaviour.

Knuckledusters, bolt cutters and a balaclava

A Christchurch man was sentenced to community detention and supervision after police discovered a set of robbery tools in his car on January 13.

Police were watching a car, which resembled the vehicle outside an  Ashburton business that was robbed the night before.

Kane Phillip Mcclintock, 33, entered that car. When police approached, they found knuckle dusters, bolt cutters and a balaclava inside that had not previously been there.

Mcclintock was charged for separate matters in March for possession of methamphetamine and meth utensils, and for a breach of bail in April.

Judge Dravitzki said Mcclintock had a very limited criminal history and had shown he wanted to improve his situation by clocking in 100 of his designated 180 community work hours.

“It seems that you made the really unfortunate decision to self-medicate with meth. That’s contributed to getting you here.”

Mcclintock was making an application to cancel the rest of his community work sentence.

Dravitzki cancelled the remaining community work and resentenced Mcclintock to five months of community detention at his home in Christchurch and nine months of supervision.

He was convicted and discharged on the breach of bail, and his drugs and utensils must be destroyed.

Showing off speed

A man will represent himself over three days in court after being charged with an “unnecessary exhibition of speed.”

Keeghan Murray Keen has opted not to take on a lawyer and will self-represent at a judge alone trial in July next year. Keen was remanded at large by Judge Dravitzki.

Breaching supervision

Damien Uday Ripimai Singh pleaded guilty to breaching a supervision and community work order.

Judge Dominic Dravitzki convicted Singh and remanded him for sentencing on September 30.

He cancelled Singh’s community work sentence, saying he had other obligations to tend to which made such work difficult.

Transfer of community service

Eilish Brook was in court to transfer her remaining community work into a fine.

Duty lawyer Clare Yardley said that, between her job and caring for two children, Brook was struggling to find time to complete her remaining 19 hours of community work.

Yardley said Brook had the ability to pay a fine between $200 and $400.

Judge Dravitizki granted Brook the transfer, changing her remaining community service hours into a $350 fine.

Resentencing

A Mitcham man with a lengthy sentence of community work was in the Ashburton DIstrict court on Monday.

Kane John Chris Tuirirangi had completed 26 of his 120 community service hours for his numerous driving while disqualified charges.

Duty lawyer Tiffany McRae said Tuirirangi had made great progress towards improving his behaviour, and had lined up work at a solar farm near his current address.

Judge Dravitzki said Tuirirangi had made obvious strides to improve his situation.

“You’ve had difficulty completing that sentence I’m told, your mental health had some real challenges,’’ he said.

“It does sound like things have somewhat improved for you.”

Tuirirangi’s remaining community service was cancelled and was replaced with two months of community detention.