Latest news with #Neave
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- 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.
Otago Daily Times
11-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Chch court told of man's ‘campaign of violence and terror'
Christchurch District Court Photo / Nate McKinnon, RNZ By Al Williams WARNING: This story is about family violence and may be distressing. A mother was in tears as she shut her eyes and blocked her ears when a man's campaign of terror over her family was revealed in court. She had endured ongoing violence from him over a six-month period, before he turned his attention to her daughter. The woman's tears continued as her daughter went on to describe how his actions had affected her too. 'It has changed my life, since the abuse happened, I don't feel like a normal kid anymore, I feel nervous. The girl was 11 when the man, who has name suppression, showed her online pornography, told her to undress and then indecently assaulted her. 'I don't trust people like I used to, I have a hard time focusing on school now, I try to pay attention, but my head goes blank, I feel like I can't keep up anymore,' she told the court during his sentencing this week. 'I just get angry, other times I start crying, people think I am being dramatic, but they don't know what is going on inside. 'I can't be around crowds, I used to be happier, more outgoing and confident, I have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 'I didn't deserve what happened and I don't want to feel like this forever.' The pair were caught up in what was described by Judge Raoul Neave in the Christchurch District Court as a campaign of violence and terror. Judge Neave said the offending occurred during a sustained period of violence, fear and control. 'They must have been living in fear.' Weekly beatings The court heard of numerous assaults; the man had initially accused the girl's mother of cheating and pushed her up against a wall, about six months into their relationship. He then backhand punched her while she was holding a baby in the back seat of a car he was driving. After that he started verbally abusing her almost every day . 'She would get a hiding at least once a week,' Judge Neave said. He would punch her while she was holding an infant, and sometimes in the face. Another incident resulted in a permanent scar on her neck. On yet another occasion, he held a kitchen knife to her neck and applied pressure. 'She thought you were going to kill her,' the judge said. The assaults continued after she discovered she was pregnant. The woman told the man in a statement she read in court that she 'walked on eggshells' around him as the assaults happened while the children were present. One thing that could not be excused was the sexual abuse of her daughter, she said. 'She was 11, the fact she looked up to her, you have caused trauma that will never be erased. 'I am terrified of seeing you again, it is essential for everyone here to understand the impact of his actions.' Victim shuts her eyes and blocks her ears The woman, who was visibly emotional throughout the proceedings, shut her eyes and blocked her ears as Judge Neave started to sentence the man. 'I have received a lot of information about you; there is lack of empathy and minimisation.' Some of the offending occurred while the man was coming down from methamphetamine, the judge said. There had been a background of health difficulties, family problems and a history of drug use. Judge Neave said it was possible other factors were paired in the man's inability to make sound judgments, but not a 'huge' link. 'This was sustained violence, assault in varying types, use of weapons, any number of household items available to you. 'The victim suffered from a number of injuries; they were varied and numerous and repeated.' At times the victim was very vulnerable because of her pregnancy, especially when she was on the ground during the assaults, the judge said. Judge Neave said the assault against the child victim was aggravated by the viewing of pornography. 'It was sustained and intrusive.' Violent and sexual offending Crown prosecutor Penny Brown said it was both violent and sexual offending with numerous and extensive attacks to the neck and in the presence of children. There was also a risk to an unborn child, she said. 'I want to say the guilty plea was extremely late, it spared the young victim from giving evidence at trial.' Defence lawyer Kathy Basire said there were multiple reports and letters of support and she described him as a 'different man now'. She said a sentence of home detention could be reached. There was a 'nexus' with his background issues in terms of the offending, she said. Judge Neave responded, saying the man had turned into a 'violent terrorist in the home'. Basire said he was coming down off methamphetamine. 'It doesn't justify or explain six months of violence,' the judge said. Judge Neave jailed the man for two years and 10 months on charges of an indecent act with a child, exposure of a young person to indecent material, assault with a weapon (representative), assault on a person in a family relationship (representative) and assault on a person in a family relationship. FAMILY VIOLENCE How to get help: If you're in danger now: • Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you. • Run outside and head for where there are other people. Scream for help so your neighbours can hear you. • Take the children with you. Don't stop to get anything else. • If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay.
Otago Daily Times
11-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Man's ‘campaign of violence and terror' against woman and child
By Al Williams WARNING: This story is about family violence and may be distressing. A mother was in tears as she shut her eyes and blocked her ears when a man's campaign of terror over her family was revealed in court. She had endured ongoing violence from him over a six-month period, before he turned his attention to her daughter. The woman's tears continued as her daughter went on to describe how his actions had affected her too. 'It has changed my life, since the abuse happened, I don't feel like a normal kid anymore, I feel nervous. The girl was 11 when the man, who has name suppression, showed her online pornography, told her to undress and then indecently assaulted her. 'I don't trust people like I used to, I have a hard time focusing on school now, I try to pay attention, but my head goes blank, I feel like I can't keep up anymore,' she told the court during his sentencing this week. 'I just get angry, other times I start crying, people think I am being dramatic, but they don't know what is going on inside. 'I can't be around crowds, I used to be happier, more outgoing and confident, I have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 'I didn't deserve what happened and I don't want to feel like this forever.' The pair were caught up in what was described by Judge Raoul Neave in the Christchurch District Court as a campaign of violence and terror. Judge Neave said the offending occurred during a sustained period of violence, fear and control. 'They must have been living in fear.' Weekly beatings The court heard of numerous assaults; the man had initially accused the girl's mother of cheating and pushed her up against a wall, about six months into their relationship. He then backhand punched her while she was holding a baby in the back seat of a car he was driving. After that he started verbally abusing her almost every day . 'She would get a hiding at least once a week,' Judge Neave said. He would punch her while she was holding an infant, and sometimes in the face. Another incident resulted in a permanent scar on her neck. On yet another occasion, he held a kitchen knife to her neck and applied pressure. 'She thought you were going to kill her,' the judge said. The assaults continued after she discovered she was pregnant. The woman told the man in a statement she read in court that she 'walked on eggshells' around him as the assaults happened while the children were present. One thing that could not be excused was the sexual abuse of her daughter, she said. 'She was 11, the fact she looked up to her, you have caused trauma that will never be erased. 'I am terrified of seeing you again, it is essential for everyone here to understand the impact of his actions.' Victim shuts her eyes and blocks her ears The woman, who was visibly emotional throughout the proceedings, shut her eyes and blocked her ears as Judge Neave started to sentence the man. 'I have received a lot of information about you; there is lack of empathy and minimisation.' Some of the offending occurred while the man was coming down from methamphetamine, the judge said. There had been a background of health difficulties, family problems and a history of drug use. Judge Neave said it was possible other factors were paired in the man's inability to make sound judgments, but not a 'huge' link. 'This was sustained violence, assault in varying types, use of weapons, any number of household items available to you. 'The victim suffered from a number of injuries; they were varied and numerous and repeated.' At times the victim was very vulnerable because of her pregnancy, especially when she was on the ground during the assaults, the judge said. Judge Neave said the assault against the child victim was aggravated by the viewing of pornography. 'It was sustained and intrusive.' Violent and sexual offending Crown prosecutor Penny Brown said it was both violent and sexual offending with numerous and extensive attacks to the neck and in the presence of children. There was also a risk to an unborn child, she said. 'I want to say the guilty plea was extremely late, it spared the young victim from giving evidence at trial.' Defence lawyer Kathy Basire said there were multiple reports and letters of support and she described him as a 'different man now'. She said a sentence of home detention could be reached. There was a 'nexus' with his background issues in terms of the offending, she said. Judge Neave responded, saying the man had turned into a 'violent terrorist in the home'. Basire said he was coming down off methamphetamine. 'It doesn't justify or explain six months of violence,' the judge said. Judge Neave jailed the man for two years and 10 months on charges of an indecent act with a child, exposure of a young person to indecent material, assault with a weapon (representative), assault on a person in a family relationship (representative) and assault on a person in a family relationship. FAMILY VIOLENCE How to get help: If you're in danger now: • Phone the police on 111 or ask neighbours or friends to ring for you.• Run outside and head for where there are other people. Scream for help so your neighbours can hear you.• Take the children with you. Don't stop to get anything else.• If you are being abused, remember it's not your fault. Violence is never okay.
ITV News
06-06-2025
- General
- ITV News
More than 50% of young people want to leave Guernsey to avoid high cost of living
Young people in Guernsey say they can't see themselves settling down in the island due to the high cost of living and lack of affordable housing. It comes after a survey by OSA Recruitment, this week, found that less than half of islanders aged between 16 and 27 plan to stay in Guernsey. Recent figures from IoD Guernsey also found the average price for buying a house was more than £604,000 at the end of 2024, with rent costing more than £2,000 per month on average. Neave-Chatting Tonks, 18, told ITV News that she does not see a future living in Guernsey, saying she works two jobs already to afford to live. She says: "The price of renting is extremely high. You can't save on top of renting, so that's why people are feeling forced to go elsewhere, even though Guernsey is where they want to live and bring up a family, but it's not possible in any shape or form. "We'd all like to live outside the home, but we can't do anything about it, so of course we're going to look at the UK, but it's a shame." Neave, who went straight into work after leaving school at 16, also says that the focus on Guernsey's finance industry makes many young people feel they need to leave to progress into something else. Neave says: "It's sad that we've come to the point where our lives are so determined by money. "Even at 18, you have to worry about whether you can live here. Do I get this job? Because what if I need to move? Or what if this job doesn't give me enough money to afford to be able to live here?" "It's a real shame because the childhood that most of us have had here, I'd love for my children to have, but the reality is, would that be possible? Would I be able to have a house? I just don't think it is possible at all." Neave said she wants those elected at this month's election to avoid overpromising and put forward "realistic" solutions for lowering the cost of living. Neave's sentiment is one reflected by many young people. Zosia Damsell, a vet who grew up in Guernsey but now lives in Kent, says finding more affordable housing in London was easier than trying in the island. She explains: "Guernsey's a great place to have grown up, but I think, in your twenties, there's a bit of a gap where people struggle to either live there, or they want to go off and do other things." The Guernsey Community Foundation's recent Quality of Life Report reflected that levels of low self-esteem and high rates of bullying are also negatively impacting the younger generation. Jim Roberts, from the Foundation, said the report does not "paint a pretty picture" of what it is like to be young in Guernsey. He is now calling on prospective States members to bring about "concrete" change. Jim explains: "We wanted the information in the report to influence debate and to get people thinking again and get people talking. "Islanders also - when they are talking to candidates - need to put questions to them and try to work out what makes them tick and what their concrete plans are for what's around the corner. "Often, what happens is you get some kind of vague platitudes, and it's a little light on detail.
