Taumarunui man charged after serious offending

Police have now charged a 19-year-old Taumarunui man after he committed a number of serious offences today.

The man has been charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle and other serious charges are pending. He is due to appear in the Taumarunui District Court tomorrow (Monday 11 February, 2013).

Ruapehu/Whanganui Area Commander Inspector Steve Mastrovich says: “We are relieved to confirm that no one has sustained any injuries from the man’s actions.”

“During the man’s offending we believe he has threatened members of the public with weapons and shots have been fired.

“The investigation is on-going and we are still conducting scene examinations and talking to witnesses to piece together what has happened over the area between Raurimu, Whakahoro, and Taumarunui in the early hours of the morning up until mid-morning on Sunday 10, February.

“We are very interested to hear from anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in those areas over that time period,” says Inspector Mastrovich.

Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to contact the Taumarunui Police Station on (07) 895 8119. Alternatively information can be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Media enquiries should be referred to Communications Manager Sara Stavropoulos on 027 702 0850.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On Failures Of Care For Those With Mental Disabilities

Hard to imagine a more disturbing insight into the treatment of the vulnerable than the Health Ministry report on Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau. The Ministry has found that the country’s only kaupapa Maori intellectual disability residential care provider has been “seriously dysfunctional.”

The ministry says the business has failed to recruit and retain quality staff – and says the kaimahi (caregivers) that have been employed are seriously unsuitable for the job, lacking basic knowledge. But Te Roopu Taurima o Manukau doesn’t get all the blame. The report says there’s a significant gap under disability laws to ensure there’s oversight by qualified clinical professionals. More>>