Stuff Digital Edition

Headphones offer in gym noise row

MATTHEW HAMPSON

A Marlborough man has offered to donate ‘‘headphones or iPods’’ to a Blenheim fitness centre, after behaving threateningly to the owners and being ordered to pay compensation to a charity.

Maurice Hemi Waaka, 48, first appeared in the Blenheim District Court on March 28, after confronting the owners of the fitness centre on two separate occasions. He said he was tired of being woken by loud music at its 5am class.

Waaka lives near F45 Training in Blenheim, which is located on the edge of an industrial zone.

At his court appearance in March, Judge Jo Rielly said a restorative justice conference between Waaka and the owners of F45 Training might ‘‘rectify for the future’’. But on Monday, defence lawyer Laurie Murdoch said that although Waaka did meet with restorative justice, ‘‘that couldn’t go ahead’’.

A police summary said Waaka first confronted one of the owners of the fitness centre when he saw her at a Mobil petrol station in Blenheim on March 11 and ranted about the noise made by her business in the morning.

After the co-owner returned to her business on Bomford St, Waaka arrived a short time later and gestured for her to come outside, but she instead locked herself in the building.

Her partner then arrived and moved Waaka away.

Two weeks later, Waaka was working on Main St in Havelock when he spotted the couple across the road and confronted them, threatening the man by holding his fist up towards him and saying he was going to ‘‘get’’ him.

The 48-year-old admitted to police that he had confronted the couple. In explanation, he said he was tired of being woken up so early, and had become angry and frustrated.

In court on March 28, Waaka admitted a charge of behaving threateningly.

On Monday, Murdoch said her client accepted that he had lost his temper.

‘‘I think he’s described it as a knee-jerk reaction at the point when he felt that he was disrespected when he went first to try and raise it with the person,’’ she said.

‘‘He wasn’t happy with the way he was talked to, and then it’s then sort of spiralled.’’

Murdoch said Waaka did meet with restorative justice but it ‘‘couldn’t go any further’’, which she said was a ‘‘real pity, because this issue doesn’t go away when there’s noise in your home at 5am’’.

Before deciding on an appropriate sentence, Judge Rielly asked Waaka if he had a local charity organisation that he had strong beliefs in.

‘‘I’m going to impose a sentence that includes you giving a donation to a charity in this community,’’ the judge said.

Waaka replied to Judge Rielly, saying, ‘‘Why don’t I make a donation to F45, so they can buy their clients headphones or iPods?’’.

‘‘I think my suggestion would be a win-win for the community,’’ he said.

‘‘I understand you feel strongly about it, Mr Waaka, but I can’t impose restrictions on how someone runs their gym,’’ Judge Rielly said.

She ordered Waaka to pay $300 compensation to the Menz Shed in Blenheim by July 31. The judge said the organisation ‘‘does lots of good for the community’’.

Judge Rielly said that if Waaka came before the court again within six months, he could be resentenced on the threatening behaviour charge.

Your Local News

en-nz

2022-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-28T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/281505049841449

Stuff Limited