A transient man who taunted Queenstown cops as he waded around the resort’s waterfront for 90 minutes has been sentenced to four months’ prison.
But David Richard Parker, 44, who appeared in Queenstown’s court this week by audio-visual link from Southland Prison, was released the same day because of the two-and-a-half months he’d already spent behind bars.
The lakefront incident, on September 21, was sparked by Parker’s behaviour while he was walking on Marine Parade about noon, which prompted a member of the public to complain to police.
When two officers approached, he began shouting at them and waded into Queenstown Bay in an area busy with commercial jet-boat traffic.
The police summary of facts said he repeatedly yelled ‘‘here piggy, piggy’’ and ‘‘you’re all Nazis’’ at the officers as his antics attracted a crowd of onlookers.
Dislodging a rusty steel bar from underneath a wharf, he climbed onto the lake wall and walked along it before putting it down and getting back into the lake, continuing to hurl insults at police.
He stayed in the lake for about an hour-and-a-half before he was coaxed out and arrested, but struggled and refused to comply with instructions.
The next morning, when an officer went into his cell to wake him in preparation for a lawyer’s visit and court appearance, he failed to respond.
‘‘Minor pain compliance’’ techniques — pressing fingertips and ear lobe pressure points and vigorous shaking of his shoulder — were eventually used to assess if he needed medical attention.
An ambulance was called after he still didn’t respond, but as officers waited in the cell for it to arrive, Parker ‘‘suddenly jumped up and started throwing punches’’.
One punch connected with the face of a policewoman, though she wasn’t hurt.
The police had already dealt with Parker two days earlier, when he was staying at a backpackers on Frankton Road.
About 8pm on September 20, he began yelling insults at other guests, calling them ‘‘whores’’ and ‘‘Nazis’’.
He then refused to leave, telling the hostel manager he’d only do so when served with a trespass notice.
Police were called and he was arrested.
In court, Judge Russell Walker sentenced Parker on charges of trespass, disorderly behaviour, resisting police and assaulting a constable, all stemming from the September incidents, and dealt with charges of assault and theft, from the Department of Conservation, in Westland on September 5, stemming from incidents at and near Welcome Flat Hut, in the remote Copland Valley.
He was also sentenced on a charge of assaulting a corrections officer at Southland Prison on November 9.
Parker admitted the charges after he was told he would be released from prison that day if he did so.
Other convictions
● Michael David Fleck, 69, of Arrowtown, drink-driving (481mcg), Centennial Avenue, October 28, fined $500, disqualified six months.
● Alex Benjamin Stroeven, 32, builder, of Queenstown Hill, drink-driving (458mcg), Gladstone Rd, Lake Hawea, November 20, fined $450, disqualified eight months.
● Takayawa Vugakoto Colati, 38, carpenter, of Fernhill, aggravated disqualified driving, Alps View Place, Queenstown, October 5; threatening behaviour, September 10, disqualified 12 months, reparation $750, 12 months’ supervision.
● Mark Luatutu, 39, of Wānaka, assault with intent to injure, August 20, Queenstown, 225 hours’ community work, reparation $750, 12 months’ supervision.
● Sean Dennis Austen, 28, chef, of Wānaka, dishonestly using a credit card, theft, August 27: breaching community work, 165.5 hours’ community work, reparation $324.20, nine months’ supervision.
● Jackson Quinn Vallance, 18, apprentice welder, of Albert Town, drink-driving (under 20, 398mcg), State Highway 6, Wānaka, November 5, fined $400, disqualified for three months.
● Martin Eric Bungard, 24, of Wānaka, drink-driving (898mcg), Gladstone Rd, Lake Hawea, November 20, fined $900, disqualified 28 days, alcohol interlock provisions.
● Jayden Davison, 23, gardener, of Wānaka, breaching zero-alcohol licence (600mcg), November 17, Wānaka, fined $1200, disqualified 12 months.
