Crime
Man charged with attempted murder after Myers Park assault
A 20-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder following an assault at a Myers Park playground on Sunday. The victim, a child, is in a stable condition at Starship Hospital. The man was taken into custody at the scene and was being treated for self-inflicted injuries.
+15 outlets · Belgian base jumper appears in court for Auckland burglary charges
Ilies Nait El Cadi, a 22-year-old Belgian tourist, appeared in the Auckland District Court on two burglary charges. He is alleged to have jumped from an Albert Street hotel and the Seascape skyscraper. The defendant did not enter a plea and has been remanded on bail.
4 outlets · Two teenagers arrested after revolver found in Manurewa vehicle stop
Two teenagers have been arrested after police stopped a vehicle of interest in Manurewa on Monday night. Officers located a revolver during the stop, which is believed to be linked to a possible road rage shooting that occurred on Saturday.
4 outlets · Lyndon Seyb King named after abandoning name suppression in murder case
Lyndon Jack Seyb King, 20, has appeared in the Christchurch High Court facing charges of murdering his 90-year-old grandmother and assaulting two other women. The alleged incidents occurred at a rural Canterbury property. King has pleaded not guilty, and his trial is scheduled for 2027.
2 outlets · Smaller speed camera trailers begin testing in Christchurch
Waka Kotahi has started testing smaller mobile safety camera trailers in Christchurch. These new trailers are designed to be parked in more roadside locations than the existing larger models. No fines will be issued while the testing phase is underway.
2 outlets · Lawyer appointed to review City Mission care of Braydon Hepworth
A Wellington barrister will lead an independent review into the care provided to Braydon Hepworth by the Christchurch City Mission. The 21-year-old man was evicted from transitional housing shortly before his body was discovered buried in a Linwood shed. The review follows his death under suspicious circumstances.
4 outlets · Cyber attack causes delays to coronial investigations
A cyber security incident at Dunedin-based Zenith Technology has compromised personal information and delayed coronial investigations. The Ministry of Justice confirmed that sensitive court information was captured during the breach. A small number of current cases are experiencing delays as investigations into the incident continue.
2 outlets · Wellington man threatened teenage girl over Snapchat photos
Adam Burton, 30, targeted a teenage girl by threatening to expose her to thousands of followers unless she sent him explicit images. The Wellington man used Snapchat to obtain naked photos from the victim. This follows a previous blackmail incident involving a churchgoer five years ago.
2 outlets · National removes volunteer following discovery of sexual conduct conviction
The National Party has dismissed Roger Buchanan from the Palmerston North electorate committee after learning of his 2021 conviction for sexual conduct with a minor. Candidate Ankit Bansal stated he was unaware of the conviction and dismissed the volunteer upon finding out.
+26 outlets · Police investigate fire that destroyed Napier's St Paul’s Presbyterian Church
A fire destroyed St Paul’s Presbyterian Church on Tennyson Street in Napier early Monday morning. While the congregation reported everyone is safe, police are investigating the cause of the blaze. One man has been charged with arson in relation to two suspicious fires in the city.
4 outlets · Man charged after alleged assault on Auckland train
A man has been arrested and charged following an alleged assault on a train near Mount Albert Station on Saturday. The incident, which involved reports of disorderly behaviour, resulted in one person sustaining injuries. The disruption caused delays and cancellations on the East West and Onehunga West lines.
3 outlets · Victim remains in critical condition after Māngere assault
A person remains in stable but critical condition in hospital following a serious assault on Massey Road in Māngere on Sunday morning. Police are investigating the incident, which occurred outside a commercial premises, and say the alleged offender fled the scene. Authorities believe the attack was an isolated incident with no ongoing public safety concerns.
4 outlets · Person seriously injured following reported assault in Phillipstown
A person was found with serious injuries at an Olliviers Road property in Phillipstown on Monday evening. Emergency services responded to the scene around 5.40pm, and police have established cordons at the address.
3 outlets · Luxon distinguishes between his gang photos and those of opposition figures
Christopher Luxon has responded to social media photos showing him with Black Power members at a state abuse apology. He stated that his photos at public events should not be conflated with opposition figures pictured with gang members at private campaign events.
+26 outlets · Police investigate two Auckland house fires deemed suspicious
Police are investigating two fires that occurred overnight in Auckland. Fire and Emergency New Zealand has deemed a fire at a Kāinga Ora duplex in Mount Albert as suspicious. Scene guards remain at both the Glen Eden and Mount Albert properties while investigations continue.
3 outlets · Maintenance man convicted of North Canterbury retirement village burglary
Aaron Dean McConville has been convicted after CCTV footage caught him rummaging through an elderly couple's unit. The couple installed the cameras at their North Canterbury retirement village home after suspecting someone had been entering their residence. Police identified tramadol in a bottle McConville claimed contained antihistamines.
3 outlets · Coroner calls for tougher forestry safety rules after worker's death
A coroner has recommended that Worksafe strengthen forestry safety regulations following the June 2022 death of Mykhailo Tremel. The 39-year-old was crushed by a falling tree at a Clevedon logging site. The coroner noted that assisted machine tree felling might have prevented the fatality.
2 outlets · Amber Alert issued for missing 11-year-old girl in Hawera
Police have issued an Amber Alert for D’Havland Phoebe Jade Laupama, who went missing from her Hawera home on Sunday afternoon. The 11-year-old has neurological disabilities and a developmental age of approximately seven years. An urgent search is currently underway for the girl.
3 outlets · Pauline Parker dies in Scotland aged 88
Pauline Parker, who murdered her mother in Christchurch in 1954, has died in Orkney, Scotland. She lived under the assumed name Hilary Nathan and was reportedly residing in retirement housing at the time of her death.
+26 outlets · Police believe Dunedin man was in a confrontation before death
Police say 40-year-old David Noah had injuries consistent with an assault before being found unresponsive on Leckhampton Court on 30 September. While a post-mortem has not established the cause of death, investigators believe he was in a confrontation shortly before dying. His death remains unexplained.
+15 outlets · One person in custody after BB gun shooting in Wellington
A person was taken into custody without incident after a BB gun shooting in Brooklyn on Sunday evening. The injured victim was transported to Wellington Hospital in serious condition. Police cordoned off the area near Tanera Crescent while armed officers responded to the scene.
2 outlets · Homicide investigation launched after woman found dead in Kawerau
Police are investigating a suspicious death after a woman's body was discovered at a Kawerau property. The discovery followed a collision between a car and a train at a private level crossing in Paengaroa on Sunday morning. The car's driver remains in critical condition at Waikato Hospital.
2 outlets · Police investigate deliberate fires and disorder at Māhia beach
Police say fires were intentionally lit on a Māhia beach on Saturday night during a gathering of hundreds of young people. Officers also reported that glass bottles were thrown at a police vehicle. Acting Inspector Andrew Knox noted that many individuals involved appeared to be intoxicated.
2 outlets · Kristopher Vindriis sentenced for West Auckland hit-and-run
Kristopher Vindriis has been sentenced for a hit-and-run involving 93-year-old Joy Delgrosso in West Auckland. The incident occurred at a pedestrian crossing, after which Vindriis fled the scene by overtaking cars and driving into oncoming traffic.
2 outlets · Tribunal orders compensation after tenant given six hours to vacate
The Tenancy Tribunal has ordered compensation for a tenant forced to leave his home within six hours. The eviction occurred after an administrative issue at the Ministry of Social Development delayed a rent payment. The landlord, AJ Safe Homes, refused to rescind the termination notice despite an offer to cover the rent.
2 outlets · Labour candidate resigns after video shows campaigning with gang members
Tāmaki Makaurau candidate Kerrin Leoni has resigned from the Labour Party after footage emerged of her campaigning alongside Mongrel Mob members while wearing a party-branded jacket. Labour leader Chris Hipkins described the incident as unacceptable. The resignation comes as the election campaign enters its final stages.
+37 outlets · Investigation into tutor following allegations of inappropriate behaviour
Police and Oranga Tamariki are investigating a community-based tutor following allegations of inappropriate behaviour. The tutor provided tuition at various organisations across the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, impacting students at at least five schools. Authorities are working with the Ministry of Education to identify children who may have had contact with the individual.
4 outlets · Taranaki man sentenced to prison for threatening to kill
A 24-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for two charges of threatening to kill or cause grievous bodily harm. The man directed threats at a hospital worker and another individual in Taranaki. He later expressed remorse through the restorative justice process.
2 outlets · Two men flee in stolen car after Rotorua Aquatic Centre robbery
Police are investigating a robbery at the Rotorua Aquatic Centre car park where two men allegedly demanded a bystander's vehicle. The men fled in the car around 6.40pm on Thursday. The victim was uninjured but shaken, and no arrests have been made.
2 outlets · Father and son named after deaths in Mangawhai water tank incident
James Martin Sisson, 52, and Keith James Sisson, 78, have been identified as the men found dead inside a water tank at a Mangawhai home on Tuesday. The deaths have been referred to the Coroner, and police stated there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.
2 outlets · Search continues for missing PhD student after car found near Piha
Police are using various resources to search for Sam Newton-Jones, a 33-year-old PhD student and father of two. He was last seen at his Henderson workplace on Tuesday, and his vehicle was later discovered at the Mercer Bay Loop carpark near Piha.
+15 outlets · Man charged after alleged attack on woman in Stanmore Bay
A 40-year-old man faces five charges following an alleged early morning assault in Stanmore Bay. Police say the man approached a woman on D’Oyly Drive at 5.24am on Thursday, allegedly grabbing her arms and chasing her as she attempted to escape.
2 outlets · Man shot by police in Massey faces multiple charges
A 55-year-old man has been charged with threatening to kill and firearms offences following an armed standoff in Massey. After being shot by the Armed Offenders Squad, the man appeared in Waitākere District Court via a bedside hearing and was remanded in custody.
4 outlets · Driver jailed for fatal collision with Christchurch cyclist
Tyson Stechman, 21, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for dangerous driving causing death and failing to stop after a February crash in Sumner. Stechman, a learner driver, was travelling at excessive speeds on Evans Pass Road when he struck 60-year-old Ian Huntsman.
4 outlets · Teenager appears in court after Palmerston North police chase
A 15-year-old boy has made his first court appearance following a police chase in Palmerston North. The youth allegedly fled in a stolen vehicle before being rammed by a member of the public and facing several serious charges, including robbery.
3 outlets · Truck driver threatened and forced to empty bank account in Rotorua
A truck driver was allegedly threatened by a group of men and forced to withdraw all funds from his bank account at an ATM. While the trucking company reported the employee was threatened at gunpoint, police stated they are investigating and confirmed no firearms were involved.
2 outlets · Sisters sentenced for manslaughter following death of seriously ill girl
A mother and aunt have been sentenced for manslaughter after a young girl died from an illness. The girl was found unconscious on a couch after three days of arguments regarding who should take her to the hospital. Experts concluded she would have survived with prompt medical attention.
3 outlets · Man charged with concealing body of 21-year-old Braydon Hepworth
A 34-year-old man appeared in Christchurch District Court charged with concealing the body of 21-year-old Braydon Hepworth. The charges suggest Hepworth may have died a month before his body was discovered, having last been seen alive on 3 September.
2 outlets · Unlicensed motorcyclist charged after being caught speeding in Porirua
A 46-year-old unlicensed rider faces court after being clocked travelling between 170km/h and 180km/h on State Highway 59 on Wednesday night. Police impounded the motorcycle following the incident, which occurred in Porirua. The rider reportedly told officers he was "blowing out the cobwebs."
2 outlets · Lawyer targeted by inappropriate messages in police group chat
Police staff used unprofessional language and insults to target a lawyer in a group chat. The messages included derogatory terms and comments regarding a photo of the lawyer being placed in a headlock by an officer.
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