Paua poacher read riot act

A paua poacher will no longer be able to plead ignorance of the law when gathering the prized delicacy after he was convicted in the New Plymouth District Court yesterday.

Unemployed 28-year-old Laurence Te Ruki admitted having 48 paua he took from the coast off Bayly Rd near Pungarehu on September 5, 38 more than he was entitled to.

He told the police, who had stopped the vehicle he was in, that he did not know the 10-paua per person limit.

Judge Rob Murfitt told Te Ruki he now knew the limit.

If everyone did the same as he had, there would be none left for the next generation, the judge told him.

Te Ruki was fined $320 plus $130 court costs and $150 solicitor's fees. Ricky Rawiri received a final warning for punching his partner in the head after making little effort to attend counselling.

Judge Allan Roberts said Rawiri had only attended two sessions since July when he pleaded guilty to the assault.

The judge said he was concerned that Rawiri's partner, in her victim impact statement, had described the punch as "a quick, fast hit. It was not as hard as he usually hits me. He always goes for my head."

Judge Roberts sentenced Rawiri to 125 hours community work.

"Next time you strike a woman you are going to jail," he said.

A New Plymouth 42-year-old facing serious drug-dealing charges was allowed out on bail on the strict proviso he not use a cellphone. Police opposed Ivan Martin being released on bail after they arrested him on Wednesday.

They had allegedly found $10,000 worth of methamphetamine in his car when they pulled him over on State Highway 3.

Martin is to reappear in court on December 10.

- © Fairfax NZ News