Latest news with #OpenJustice
Otago Daily Times
18 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Nurse cons cash from colleagues, jets off to Taylor Swift
- By Belinda Feek, Open Justice multimedia journalist A nurse who took more than $100,000 from three sympathetic colleagues after claiming her mother had died and her dad was sick spent the money on gambling and trips overseas. She even attended a Taylor Swift concert in Sydney and a Yankees game and Justin Timberlake concert in New York. Angelina Nicole Therese Avisado Reyes, a nurse at Waikato District Health Board at the time, was so persistent with one victim that he ended up transferring $107,000 to her over six months. That victim cashed in investments, withdrew savings and handed over part of his inheritance from a dead grandparent, after Reyes claimed she had tried to commit suicide because she was so stressed. Reyes, who no longer works at the DHB, eventually confessed and told him she'd lost $18,000 of his money gambling. The 33-year-old appeared in the Hamilton District Court recently, where she pleaded guilty to three charges of obtaining by deception, one of which was representative, after taking $112,000 from her colleagues. Her counsel, Raewyn Sporle, asked Judge Noel Cocurullo not to enter convictions as she would be applying for a Section 106 discharge without conviction at her sentencing in October. 'Can't afford a burial plot' for purportedly dead mother Reyes, who is now on bail, unsuccessfully challenged a media request for a copy of court documents detailing her offending. A judge granted NZME permission to have them. According to those documents, the first victim was made aware by her manager in early December 2023 that Reyes' mother in the Philippines was sick and in hospital. In March 2024, she was told Reyes' mother had died. When she later saw Reyes and noticed she was crying they spoke. Later that morning, the victim got a message from Reyes saying her mother had died, she had no money, and couldn't afford a burial plot in the Philippines for her. After speaking to her husband, the victim agreed to transfer $2000 to Reyes. Around the end of the month, the second victim saw Reyes and noticed she seemed distracted, was always on her phone, and asked if she was all right. Reyes said her mother in the Philippines was sick. Over the next couple of weeks, Reyes said her mother had a heart attack, was hospitalised, then discharged, then later readmitted, and then died. Another time, she said her father had been hospitalised with a 'brain problem' and that it was 'very serious'. On April 11, the victim got a Facebook message from Reyes saying she was back home, her father was in hospital, and asking if she could borrow some money and that she would pay her back on payday. When asked how much she needed, Reyes said $3000. 'Tell your parents you've been scammed' In January 2024, Reyes told the third victim her mother was in hospital and needed $10,000 for the cost of heart surgery. She contacted him a week later saying her mother had a heart attack and she needed the money 'immediately', but it was now going to cost $90,000 for the surgery and hospital expenses. She asked for $35,000. At the time, the victim didn't have the money directly, so he cashed in some investments and withdrew some savings totalling $36,000. Reyes promised to pay him back by the end of the year. On February 11, she advised her boss that her mother had died during surgery and told several other colleagues over the following days. Immigration records revealed Reyes flew to Sydney overnight on February 23 to attend a Taylor Swift concert. During this time, she'd also falsely claimed two weeks of bereavement leave. On March 9, Reyes contacted the victim again, saying she needed $1000 that day to pay the funeral director to have her mother's body released, but said she needed it in e-vouchers, due to sending it to the Philippines. She was back in touch again on May 6, saying her father now needed surgery and required $6000. The victim was only able to transfer $1000. The victim inherited more than $60,000 from a deceased grandparent on May 10, and told Reyes he could loan her more money if required. She asked for $40,000, which they agreed to transfer. Three days later, Reyes asked for another $10,000 to travel home to see her sick father. In July, she contacted the victim again, saying she was in the Philippines and had been hospitalised after trying to commit suicide and had incurred a debt of $30,000. The victim didn't have that much and instead transferred her $600 and gave her a $400 pay safe card. He then cashed up more investments as he wanted to help her and put $18,000 in her account. However, Immigration records showed she was in New York between June 16 and July 14 last year, and attended a Yankees baseball game and a Justin Timberlake concert. On July 23, she called the victim and told him she owed lawyers $100,000 and if she didn't pay it, her father would go to jail. She also claimed to be suicidal again. The victim said he didn't have any money, but Reyes told him to tell his parents he had been scammed out of the money. However, he declined to do that. The next day, she video-called the victim and said she had flights booked back to New Zealand but couldn't leave the country until she paid the $100,000. She later told him she had lied about owing the $100,000, and had lost $18,000 gambling. 'Mum and Dad are alive and well' Reyes siphoned $107,200 from that victim alone due to the stories she had told him. When questioned by police, Reyes said she had a 'big gambling problem'. She also admitted lying about her mother's death, that her father was sick, and that she had attempted suicide so the victim would give her money. Reyes also confirmed that her mother and father were 'alive and well' in the Philippines.
Otago Daily Times
18 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Nurse conned $112k from colleagues for gigs, gambling
- By Belinda Feek, Open Justice multimedia journalist A nurse who took more than $100,000 from three sympathetic colleagues after claiming her mother had died and her dad was sick spent the money on gambling and trips overseas. She even attended a Taylor Swift concert in Sydney and a Yankees game and Justin Timberlake concert in New York. Angelina Nicole Therese Avisado Reyes, a nurse at Waikato District Health Board at the time, was so persistent with one victim that he ended up transferring $107,000 to her over six months. That victim cashed in investments, withdrew savings and handed over part of his inheritance from a dead grandparent, after Reyes claimed she had tried to commit suicide because she was so stressed. Reyes, who no longer works at the DHB, eventually confessed and told him she'd lost $18,000 of his money gambling. The 33-year-old appeared in the Hamilton District Court recently, where she pleaded guilty to three charges of obtaining by deception, one of which was representative, after taking $112,000 from her colleagues. Her counsel, Raewyn Sporle, asked Judge Noel Cocurullo not to enter convictions as she would be applying for a Section 106 discharge without conviction at her sentencing in October. 'Can't afford a burial plot' for purportedly dead mother Reyes, who is now on bail, unsuccessfully challenged a media request for a copy of court documents detailing her offending. A judge granted NZME permission to have them. According to those documents, the first victim was made aware by her manager in early December 2023 that Reyes' mother in the Philippines was sick and in hospital. In March 2024, she was told Reyes' mother had died. When she later saw Reyes and noticed she was crying they spoke. Later that morning, the victim got a message from Reyes saying her mother had died, she had no money, and couldn't afford a burial plot in the Philippines for her. After speaking to her husband, the victim agreed to transfer $2000 to Reyes. Around the end of the month, the second victim saw Reyes and noticed she seemed distracted, was always on her phone, and asked if she was all right. Reyes said her mother in the Philippines was sick. Over the next couple of weeks, Reyes said her mother had a heart attack, was hospitalised, then discharged, then later readmitted, and then died. Another time, she said her father had been hospitalised with a 'brain problem' and that it was 'very serious'. On April 11, the victim got a Facebook message from Reyes saying she was back home, her father was in hospital, and asking if she could borrow some money and that she would pay her back on payday. When asked how much she needed, Reyes said $3000. 'Tell your parents you've been scammed' In January 2024, Reyes told the third victim her mother was in hospital and needed $10,000 for the cost of heart surgery. She contacted him a week later saying her mother had a heart attack and she needed the money 'immediately', but it was now going to cost $90,000 for the surgery and hospital expenses. She asked for $35,000. At the time, the victim didn't have the money directly, so he cashed in some investments and withdrew some savings totalling $36,000. Reyes promised to pay him back by the end of the year. On February 11, she advised her boss that her mother had died during surgery and told several other colleagues over the following days. Immigration records revealed Reyes flew to Sydney overnight on February 23 to attend a Taylor Swift concert. During this time, she'd also falsely claimed two weeks of bereavement leave. On March 9, Reyes contacted the victim again, saying she needed $1000 that day to pay the funeral director to have her mother's body released, but said she needed it in e-vouchers, due to sending it to the Philippines. She was back in touch again on May 6, saying her father now needed surgery and required $6000. The victim was only able to transfer $1000. The victim inherited more than $60,000 from a deceased grandparent on May 10, and told Reyes he could loan her more money if required. She asked for $40,000, which they agreed to transfer. Three days later, Reyes asked for another $10,000 to travel home to see her sick father. In July, she contacted the victim again, saying she was in the Philippines and had been hospitalised after trying to commit suicide and had incurred a debt of $30,000. The victim didn't have that much and instead transferred her $600 and gave her a $400 pay safe card. He then cashed up more investments as he wanted to help her and put $18,000 in her account. However, Immigration records showed she was in New York between June 16 and July 14 last year, and attended a Yankees baseball game and a Justin Timberlake concert. On July 23, she called the victim and told him she owed lawyers $100,000 and if she didn't pay it, her father would go to jail. She also claimed to be suicidal again. The victim said he didn't have any money, but Reyes told him to tell his parents he had been scammed out of the money. However, he declined to do that. The next day, she video-called the victim and said she had flights booked back to New Zealand but couldn't leave the country until she paid the $100,000. She later told him she had lied about owing the $100,000, and had lost $18,000 gambling. 'Mum and Dad are alive and well' Reyes siphoned $107,200 from that victim alone due to the stories she had told him. When questioned by police, Reyes said she had a 'big gambling problem'. She also admitted lying about her mother's death, that her father was sick, and that she had attempted suicide so the victim would give her money. Reyes also confirmed that her mother and father were 'alive and well' in the Philippines.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
Whangārei man jailed for forcibly kissing women at a bus terminal
He grabbed the woman by the shoulders and upper chest area and whispered in her ear. When she tried to pull away, Hiku held her with force and kissed her on the cheek, only releasing her when bystanders intervened. Hiku then walked down the street and approached another woman who was sitting on a bench by the bus terminal. As he stood over her, he grabbed her by the face and kissed her on the mouth. She broke free from his hold and several high school students chased the man away. Hiku was arrested and, following mental health reports, was deemed fit to plead and fit to stand trial. He pleaded not guilty and elected a judge-alone trial but changed his plea in April. Judge Tony Couch said it was a difficult and sad matter. It was revealed in court that Hiku has been convicted on four occasions for indecent assault and has been a registered child sex offender since 2018. Judge Couch said Hiku had failed on at least four occasions to adhere to his reporting requirements as a registered child sex offender. The judge accepted that at the time of his latest offending, his sense of right and wrong was impaired and sentenced him to 23 months' imprisonment. Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Father and daughter steal $190k in ATM heist
By Belinda Feek, Open Justice multimedia journalist A former Armourguard employee used the company's special codes to raid almost $200,000 from an ATM in a heist she executed with the help of her father. And while police have managed to claw back more than $30,000, just over $159,000 remains outstanding, with a police officer earlier suspecting it may lie buried on the Coromandel. The heist was carried out by former Armourguard employee, Jessie-Lee Daniela-Ranford, 26, who enlisted the help of her now terminally-ill father, James Lindsay Ranford, to act as her getaway driver. The pair reappeared in the Hamilton District Court today, where they were due to be sentenced on two charges of burglary. However, Judge Glen Marshall adjourned the case to allow them to try and remember where the stolen money is. 'One issue I have with both defendants is that they both say that the other has had control of the money,' Judge Marshall put to Ranford's counsel, Shelley Gilbert. 'I have talked about that, but I don't think the money is coming ... as of today, I have no instructions about the money,' Gilbert said. Jaiden Manera, counsel for Daniela-Ranford, said the only money she had retained was used to buy a vehicle, which was then seized by police. 'So all in all, Ms Daniela-Ranford, on her instructions, simply was not the beneficiary of the monies. 'That's as far as I can take it.' 'The heist' It was May 31, last year, at 4.16pm when Ranford and his daughter, in a rear passenger seat, parked up outside Yukedas Party and Gift Store in Hillcrest. The pair had slightly altered the registration plates of their Nissan Tiida by changing one of the numbers. Dressed in all black, Daniela-Ranford got out of the car with her hood up and walked into the store and went straight to an ATM cash machine. She entered two codes and removed five canisters containing $50 and $20 notes, court documents say. She then got into the back seat of the car, and Ranford took off 'at high speed', heading east along Clyde St. A short time later, the Nissan was set alight on Holland Rd, Eureka, on the outskirts of Hamilton. The pair was captured on CCTV at Z petrol station in Hautapu in their Mitsubishi Outlander, registered in Daniela-Radford's name. At the hearing, Gilbert successfully asked for her client's sentencing to be adjourned so home detention could be explored as a sentencing option. Police prosecutor Jamie Rowney confirmed $159,300 was still outstanding. Police had gathered $28,000 from the vehicle seizure and found $5000 'laying around' in one of Ranford's vehicles. He labelled their offending as 'significant and egregious,' which had a significant financial implication on the victim company, and there had been no attempts by either defendant to return the money. 'I'm aware that Mr Ranford, in particular, knows where that money is. 'He has not made any effort to return even a small amount. 'This offending has caused real harm to the community.' Manera responded and said Daniela-Ranford had been 'unequivocal' in that she didn't have the money. Judge Marshall agreed to adjourn the sentencing and relax Daniela-Ranford's bail condition, avoiding contact with her father, so the pair could work out where the remaining money is. They were both remanded on further bail to reappear for sentencing next month.
Otago Daily Times
5 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Paramedic loses medical registration after strangling partner and biting her nose
By Jeremy Wilkinson, Open Justice reporter WARNING: This article discusses domestic violence. 'I'm gonna see you burn at the stake', a paramedic told his partner before biting her nose, pulling her hair and strangling her. The man, who has name suppression and was previously given home detention for the abuse, has now been stripped of his medical licence for at least two years. According to the police summary of facts, the man grabbed his now ex-partner by the arm in July 2021, twisted it behind her back and shoved her against a fridge, denting it. During another incident in 2022, he told her he would 'burn her at the stake' before pulling her by the hair, trying to kick her in the head, and placing his hands around her neck and strangling her. While the man was strangling the woman, he bit into her nose, causing bleeding and bruising around her eyes while their young child watched, pleading for him to stop. The man then picked up his child, placed her in his car and drove roughly two metres before getting out and going back to the woman. He grabbed her by her hair and pulled her to the ground. Neighbours overheard the yelling and called the police, who turned up shortly before 10pm and pushed the man on to a couch in his lounge. The man reacted by unzipping the constable's vest and attempted to get hold of their Taser before eventually being restrained with help from members of the public. In 2023, the man also psychologically abused the woman over the phone while there was a protection order in place against him. After pleading guilty he was given 11 months' home detention by a District Court judge for seven offences relating to the 2022 incident, as well as concurrent terms of three months' home detention for a further five offences. In sentencing, the judge said, 'What happened here was extraordinarily dangerous' and said that it was a 'prolonged instance of family violence' which involved 'serious acts of coercive control to dominate the victim'. 'You can't scream and die at the same time' Following his convictions, a Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) of the Paramedic Council filed charges of professional misconduct against the man at the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, claiming he was no longer fit to work as a paramedic. The PCC said that the man's convictions showed a serious loss of self-control in response to a situation that had made him angry, and his conduct did not reflect the high standards expected of a paramedic. 'It is relevant that paramedics may attend to victims of family violence, and that they may often do so in the victim's own home. 'This practice environment requires a high degree of trust, particularly where patients will often have little to no say in who attends them,' their submissions read. The PCC also noted that the paramedics were required to work closely with other first responders, including police, and that resisting arrest from a constable was particularly concerning. The practitioner provided the tribunal with some context for his offending in that he claimed his partner was using methamphetamine against his wishes, which frustrated him. He said his former partner had sought to minimise her role in the conflict, was pushing an incorrect narrative and had played the victim at every opportunity. '[The ex-partner] stating that I am violent and controlling is an excellent scapegoat position for her behaviour however, not truthful or representative of the situation,' he told the PCC. 'My explanation for assaulting my partner is that I was trapped in an abusive and controlling relationship with her culminating in a predictable explosion of violence as the police, councilors [sic], colleagues, friends and families all avoided the obvious.' The man said he questioned the woman's evidence about the incident where he strangled her. 'You know, she told police 'He grabbed me around the neck with two hands and I thought like I was going to die'. On the video recording, the evidence recording, she's screaming the whole time,' he told the PCC in an interview. 'You can't scream and die at the same time.' The man also made a complaint to the Independent Police Conduct Authority about his arrest and the refusal of police officers to take his concerns about his partner seriously. The man said that if he were working on an ambulance with another paramedic, there would be no reason why a patient wouldn't be able to trust him. Since the offending, he's engaged in non-violence programmes and therapy as well as entering into a new relationship. 'Little evidence of remorse' The tribunal held a hearing into the man's conduct late last year and, in a recently-released ruling, said it was satisfied that the reputation of paramedicine was lowered as a result of his actions. In its ruling, the tribunal said that the man sought to justify his actions and minimise his conduct. 'During his evidence before the tribunal, there was little evidence of remorse. He repeatedly said that [his ex partner] was playing the victim,' the tribunal said. Despite this, the tribunal said that potential patients of health practitioners who had engaged in family violence were not necessarily in danger from them. However, the tribunal noted that the work of a paramedic involves teamwork and high levels of trust between colleagues, and between police and the fire service at callouts, including ones involving domestic violence. 'The lack of respect [the man] showed the police raises serious questions for the tribunal about his ability to work alongside the police in challenging situations. '[He] should not underestimate the levels of discomfort many women feel when in the presence of someone with a history such as his. This applies to his colleagues and health consumers.' The tribunal opted to cancel his registration with the Paramedics Council and forbid him from re-registering for at least two years, and ordered him to pay costs of $26,000. However, this cancellation does not prevent the man from working as an Emergency Medical Technician, the tribunal conceded, noting that the role is similar to that of a paramedic but doesn't require registration. EMTs often assist paramedics who have more advanced training and can take on more complex medical care. The man declined to comment to NZME. 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. Where to go for help or more information: • Women's Refuge: Crisis line - 0800 REFUGE or 0800 733 843 (available 24/7) • Shine: Helpline - 0508 744 633 (available 24/7) • It's Not Ok: Family violence information line - 0800 456 450 • Shakti: Specialist services for African, Asian and Middle Eastern women and children. • Crisis line - 0800 742 584 (available 24/7) • Ministry of Justice: For information on family violence • Te Kupenga Whakaoti Mahi Patunga: National Network of Family Violence Services • White Ribbon: Aiming to eliminate men's violence towards women.
