A man assaulted one ambulance officer and made sexually offensive comments to another as they tried to treat him in downtown Queenstown.
The two Hato Hone St John volunteers were responding to a callout after a member of the public became concerned at seeing Christchurch man Taiene Lekali Moenoa vomiting and stumbling in the resort’s CBD about 6pm on September 30.
After initially lying down in the ambulance, the heavily intoxicated 32-year-old became ‘‘uncooperative and abusive’’ towards the male ambulance officer, police say.
Moenoa stood up, shoved the victim in his abdomen with both hands, and got out of the ambulance.
He then made ‘‘offensive comments of a sexual nature’’ to the female ambulance officer before running from the scene.
He was arrested nearby about an hour later, but took to his heels again, running about 250m before being caught.
At Moenoa’s sentencing on charges of assault and resisting police in Queenstown’s court this week, counsel Annaliese Carlaw applied for a discharge without conviction.
The offending was not premeditated, and ‘‘very out of character’’, Carlaw said.
Convictions would jeopardise the defendant’s future employment prospects and overseas travel, and cause ‘‘general stigma’’.
In an affidavit, Moenoa said he’d been at a stag party in Queenstown’s CBD, but left after feeling tired.
After he told the victim he wanted to get out of the ambulance, the latter had responded by pushing him back down on the stretcher.
He had only pushed the victim with one hand in order to get out of the vehicle, while his comment to the female ambulance officer had only been to ask if she was single.
He later ran away from the police because he was worried about the consequences of another conviction for his employment.
In a written statement, the victim said he had been an ambulance officer for six years, and a volunteer firey for 11 years.
Since the assault, his partner and parents had felt a ‘‘heightened concern’’ for him while he was doing that work.
He had not supported diversion for the defendant because he had a ‘‘zero-tolerance’’ attitude to violence against emergency health workers.
In written submissions, police said Moenoa had been drinking heavily before the incident despite undergoing treatment for post-concussion syndrome caused by dozens of concussions suffered while playing rugby union and league.
Jude Russell Walker said the defendant’s version of events had minimised the force he’d used and the nature of his comments to the other
ambulance officer.
Committing violence against an emergency health worker was an aggravating factor.
The community could ‘‘ill-afford’’ such behaviour, because it discouraged people from volunteering for organisations like Hato Hone St John and Fire and Emergency New Zealand.
He noted the defendant had previous convictions for dishonesty, intentional damage, disorderly behaviour and disqualified driving, the most
recent in 2015.
He declined the application, convicted the defendant and imposed fines and court costs totalling $936.
Other sentences
● Bertrand Delavallee, 32, of Fernhill, drink-driving (492mcg), Aspen Grove, June 21, fined $500, court costs $143, disqualified six months.
● Forbes James Victor Meehan, 38, builder, of Waimate, aggravated drink-driving (174mg), Upper Taieri-Paerau Rd, Serpentine, refusing to accompany police, April 4, fined $2050, court costs $286, medical and analyst fees $209.39, disqualified 28 days, alcohol interlock provisions.
● James David Gemmell, 47, of Invercargill, breaching protection order, April 10, Wānaka, three months’ home detention.
● Samuel Thomas Haggerty, 34, of Arrowtown, failing to stop for police, disqualified driving, Frankton-Ladies Mile Hwy, December 24, Queenstown, fined $700, court costs $286, disqualified six months.
● Fiora Majdolene Stewart, 30, of Frankton, drink-driving (943mcg), Frankton Rd, December 15, discharged without conviction, disqualified 10 months.
● Samantha Jane Dennis, 22, care worker, of Shotover Country, possessing a weapon (knuckle dusters), February 25, Queenstown, discharged without conviction, ordered to pay $500 to charity.
● Charmaine Raine, 30, of Queenstown, assault, May 28, 2023, emotional harm reparation $300, nine months’ supervision.
