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Prisoner allowed to attend tangi for unborn child
A judge has relented and allowed a man being held on serious charges to be released for a few days to attend the tangi for his still-born child.
His partner, a 22-year-old who also faces similar charges, was in tears at Christchurch District Court after the news from the radiologist that the foetus has died and her pregnancy will have to be terminated.
She was asking for her 26-year-old partner to be released for a week so that he could be with her for her operation, and attend the tangi for the child they have lost.
The couple were among a group arrested in July and the woman was granted bail while her partner has remained in custody on six burglary charges and another serious charge.
When defence counsel Kerry Cook asked for bail for the man today, Judge Raoul Neave was initially reluctant.
Cook handed up a letter to the judge, with the radiologist?s finding that the woman?s foetus had died. Cook asked for the man to be released to be with his partner for the operation she needs and to attend the tangi.
He explained that he could be bailed to live at the home of the woman, her mother, and her grandmother. He would not leave the house except to attend medical appointments or go to the tangi.
Judge Neave said the man?s record was appalling. He had 23 convictions for breaches of court sanctions or court orders.
He had not bothered to comply with the court?s restrictions and had done nothing to deserve the leniency he was asking for.
?But later in the morning, the judge agreed to allow the man out of jail for one week, until September 26, to live at the specified address in Hornby, and not go out unless accompanied by family members for specific reasons for the medical appointments and the tangi.
He will have to tell the Hornby police every time he leaves the property, he must not use drugs, and he must not contact any alleged co-offenders.
Judge Neave told him: ?If there?s the slightest departure from any of these conditions, you will be back in custody, and I don?t care how distressed (your partner) is ? it will be your fault.?
The man?s name is not suppressed but it cannot be reported because of the discussion of his criminal record ahead of his trial.
