Latest news with #QueenstownDistrictCourt
1News
15-07-2025
- 1News
Queenstown hotel fined $22k for illegal crayfish sale in VIP experience
A Queenstown hotel has been fined $22,000 for illegally selling recreationally caught crayfish as part of a luxury guest experience and failing to keep records. The Rees Management Limited, trading as The Rees Hotel, was sentenced in the Queenstown District Court yesterday following a prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). The charges were laid under the Fisheries Act 1996 and the Fisheries (Recordkeeping) Regulations 1990. At the centre of the case was the hotel's luxury package, known as The Rees Ultimate Heli Crayfish Dining Experience. This included a helicopter flight over the Southern Alps to a remote West Coast beach where a driver collected live crayfish, which was then brought back and cooked at the hotel. ADVERTISEMENT Guests were charged between $4650 and $7750 for the total day's experience. Under the Fisheries Act, a commercial fishing licence was required to take any fish for sale. Fisheries New Zealand South regional manager Garreth Jay said the offending persisted despite clear advice being given to the operators that the package did not comply with the Fisheries Act. Any use of seafood as part of a business' commercial activity was considered a sale under the Act, he added. "The rules are there for a reason – to safeguard the resource for current and future generations, protect the integrity of the fisheries management system, and ensure a level playing field for businesses using seafood as part of their commercial activities. "Where we find evidence of people breaking the rules we will investigate and take appropriate action." ADVERTISEMENT The hotel did not keep required records of the crayfish, which Jay said made it difficult to quantify the scale of the offending. "We all have a role to play in ensuring the ongoing sustainability of our fisheries." Another business was being prosecuted by Fisheries NZ in relation to this offending. The matter was before the courts.
Otago Daily Times
01-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Recidivist drink-driver 6 times limit
A man who has been indefinitely disqualified from driving for more than 20 years was almost six times the legal alcohol limit when he was caught behind the wheel in March. Craig Neil Hitchcox, 55, painter, of Lake Hawea, appeared for sentencing before Judge Tim Black in the Queenstown District Court this week on charges of aggravated drink-driving, dangerous driving and driving while disqualified. A police summary of facts said Hitchcox was indefinitely disqualified after an appearance in the Dunedin District Court in October 2003, where he was also convicted for driving under the influence of drink or drug. He had earlier been convicted in May 2002 for drink-driving. About 12.34am on March 2, after a prolonged period of drinking, Hitchcox drove his Mazda Familia on the Hawea-Albert Town road "in a manner likely to cause a collision". Hitchcox drove in and out of the oncoming, right-hand lane for about 2km and narrowly avoided a collision due to the evasive actions of a witness. He kept driving on to the Hawea Dam, towards Capell Ave, as police followed. "The vehicle has continued swerving into the right-hand lane so that the vehicle was on the wrong side of the road. "Once at the roundabout of Domain Rd and Capell Ave, the defendant continued drifting all over the road, over raised medians and hitting kerbs," the summary said. An evidential breath test gave a reading of 1474mcg of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 250mcg. Hitchcox declined to make a statement, but made "partial admissions" to being a disqualified driver, and having consumed alcohol. Judge Black, who noted it was "a very high level", sentenced Hitchcox to six months' community detention, with a curfew from 7pm to 6am, and a year of supervision with special conditions. While he was also disqualified for six months, Judge Black said Hitchcox would need to attend an assessment centre in relation to his indefinite disqualification before he could apply for a licence, and the only one available would be an alcohol interlock licence, which would be in place for a year before a three-year zero-alcohol licence could be applied for. • Matthew James Soper, 43, quantity surveyor, of Frankton, drink-driving, 690mcg, April 19, Nightcaps, six months' supervision with special conditions, 80 hours' community work, disqualified one year and one day.
Otago Daily Times
30-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
German engineer crashed concept car on Crown Range Road
A German vehicle development engineer crashed a test sports car on the Crown Range Road, while driving three times the recommended speed limit. The car driven by Marcus Foerderung, 30, was a "concept sports vehicle" — fitted with a trade plate — believed to be an unreleased Mercedes AMG EV coupe. It was one of several test vehicles at the scene, all of which were camouflaged and covered following the incident at 9.20am on June 21. Foerderung appeared in Queenstown District Court yesterday and was ordered to pay almost $2400 in reparation While Foerderung's counsel, Lockie 't Hooft, said his client was in New Zealand "for work purposes" for a fortnight, he instructed Judge Tim Black in the Queenstown District Court he was not testing the vehicle at the time, and the incident was unrelated to his employment. Foerderung yesterday admitted one charge of careless driving causing injury to three people, a local father and his two teenage daughters, all of whom were travelling in a Subaru Outback. According to the police summary of facts, Foerderung was driving the vehicle up the Crown Range "zig-zags", which has a recommended speed limit of 15kmh. While weather conditions were fine and visibility was clear, the road surface was wet. After navigating a right-hand switchback, Foerderung accelerated to an estimated speed of 60kmh, with a distance of about 130m before the next switchback, the summary said. "The defendant failed to brake sufficiently for the corner, crossing the centre line. "At the same time, the three victims were travelling downhill, navigating the switchback in the opposing lane." The front of Foerderung's vehicle collided with the driver's side of the Subaru, the impact shunting that car sideways off the road, pinning the passenger side of the vehicle against the wooden crash barrier. The victims got out by climbing through windows. The driver sustained a lumbar sprain, contusion and swelling to his right knee, one of his daughters sustained a mild concussion, a neck and thoracic sprain and contusion to her right knee and the other sustained three chipped front teeth, and contusions to her right hip, chest, right lower leg, right elbow and forearm. "The defendant admitted the facts and stated he believed he had further to the next corner from previous experience driving the road," the summary said. Mr 'tHooft said the defendant was "incredibly remorseful about the events". "He has been in communications with those in the vehicle that he collided with to receive updates on their medical injuries. "My client has never been before the courts ... I understand it's been quite a frightening experience for him." Judge Black convicted Foerderung and ordered him to pay $1643.96 reparation for vehicle insurance fees, medical assessments and treatments including X-rays, dental fillings and physiotherapy, and a total of $750 emotional harm reparation. The full amount was to be paid before he left New Zealand yesterday afternoon. He was also disqualified from driving for six months.
Otago Daily Times
30-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
German engineer admits crashing concept sports car
A German vehicle development engineer crashed a test sports car on the Crown Range Rd, while driving three times the recommended speed limit. The car driven by Marcus Foerderung, 30, was a "concept sports vehicle" — fitted with a trade plate — believed to be an unreleased Mercedes AMG EV coupe. It was one of several test vehicles at the scene, all of which were camouflaged and covered following the incident at 9.20am on June 21. Foerderung appeared in Queenstown District Court yesterday and was ordered to pay almost $2400 in reparation While Foerderung's counsel, Lockie 't Hooft, said his client was in New Zealand "for work purposes" for a fortnight, he instructed Judge Tim Black in the Queenstown District Court he was not testing the vehicle at the time, and the incident was unrelated to his employment. Foerderung yesterday admitted one charge of careless driving causing injury to three people, a local father and his two teenage daughters, all of whom were travelling in a Subaru Outback. According to the police summary of facts, Foerderung was driving the vehicle up the Crown Range "zig-zags", which has a recommended speed limit of 15kmh. While weather conditions were fine and visibility was clear, the road surface was wet. After navigating a right-hand switchback, Foerderung accelerated to an estimated speed of 60kmh, with a distance of about 130m before the next switchback, the summary said. "The defendant failed to brake sufficiently for the corner, crossing the centre line. "At the same time, the three victims were travelling downhill, navigating the switchback in the opposing lane." The front of Foerderung's vehicle collided with the driver's side of the Subaru, the impact shunting that car sideways off the road, pinning the passenger side of the vehicle against the wooden crash barrier. The victims got out by climbing through windows. The driver sustained a lumbar sprain, contusion and swelling to his right knee, one of his daughters sustained a mild concussion, a neck and thoracic sprain and contusion to her right knee and the other sustained three chipped front teeth, and contusions to her right hip, chest, right lower leg, right elbow and forearm. "The defendant admitted the facts and stated he believed he had further to the next corner from previous experience driving the road," the summary said. Mr 'tHooft said the defendant was "incredibly remorseful about the events". "He has been in communications with those in the vehicle that he collided with to receive updates on their medical injuries. "My client has never been before the courts ... I understand it's been quite a frightening experience for him." Judge Black convicted Foerderung and ordered him to pay $1643.96 reparation for vehicle insurance fees, medical assessments and treatments including X-rays, dental fillings and physiotherapy, and a total of $750 emotional harm reparation. The full amount was to be paid before he left New Zealand yesterday afternoon. He was also disqualified from driving for six months.
Otago Daily Times
21-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Wiping of phone ‘idiotic', judge says
A Wānaka woman committed an "act of unpardonable folly" by wiping the contents of her phone while under suspicion of importing psilocybin, a judge says. However, Judge Raoul Neave granted Skye Marie Spencer, 33, a discharge without conviction in the Queenstown District Court this week on the grounds a conviction would have a disproportionate impact on her employment and immigration status. Police executed a search warrant at Spencer's home last year after suspecting her of importing the class A drug, a psychedelic drug also known as magic mushrooms. Her refusal to provide access to her cellphone meant the officer in charge was unable to put it in flight mode, which would have protected its contents. Although he placed the device in a Faraday bag to block electromagnetic interference, it underwent a "remote wipe" as soon as he removed it from the bag at Wānaka police station, Judge Neave said. The defendant, who used her laptop to wipe the phone immediately after the search, later told police she had personal material on the device she did not want them to see. She later admitted a charge of attempting to obstruct the course of justice, entering the plea after ESR analysis found the substance she had imported was not psilocybin. Judge Neave said the Crown's position was she had intended to destroy evidence of her attempt to import the drug, and police were unable to retrieve the deleted material. That was at odds with the submissions of defence counsel Paige Noorland, who said police were able to complete a full investigation, and retrieved at least some of the data. Ms Noorland said Spencer's wiping of her phone may have been deliberate, but was also "naive, fleeting and opportunistic". Judge Neave said the defendant claimed her actions were unrelated to the drug allegation, and motivated by a wish to keep material of an "intimate, personal nature" from the prying eyes of the police. "Assuming that were true for the moment, whilst understandable, she had rather forfeited the right to those sorts of decisions when she was so stupid as to start to import a Class A drug," he said. Despite her claim that she did not realise the seriousness of importing psilocybin, it must have been "blindingly obvious" that wiping her phone after receiving a search warrant was a criminal act. There was irony in the fact she may not have appeared in court at all but for her "idiotic actions on the spur of the moment". Turning to the discharge application, Judge Neave said the defendant had two long-standing jobs that required her to travel overseas, especially to the United States. Although her employers remained supportive, a conviction would make that travel more difficult, and put her current and future employment at risk. Because she was an Australian national, it would also make her eligible for deportation. Losing her immigration status would jeopardise her relationship with her partner, who was a New Zealand citizen. She had no previous convictions, and otherwise appeared to be a "responsible, hard-working and well-regarded young woman". For those reasons, he decided the consequences of a conviction outweighed the seriousness of her offending and granted the discharge.
