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Tauranga man imprisoned for neglect of 82-year-old mother after leaving her on the floor for 14 hours

Published

3 months ago

August 3, 2026

A man left his elderly mother lying on the floor for 14 hours after she fell in the home where he was her carer.

Unable to get the 82-year-old to her feet, he dragged her from her bedroom to the lounge and ignored her pleas to get help.

It was about 7pm when the woman asked her son to get help from the neighbours, but he refused.

Instead, he unplugged the landline and disconnected the Wi-Fi, and when the woman messaged her daughter, “Help me please,” the message did not go through.

She remained on the floor for 14 hours until a granddaughter went to check on her after family members were unable to contact her.

According to the police summary of facts, the woman was found in a “very concerning state”, calling out for help, with no water and having soiled herself.

Her son was in another room at the time.

His mother was taken to hospital by ambulance and remained there for more than a week with “weeping sores” caused by lying on the floor for so long.

The sores later became infected.

She suffered “major bruising” to her torso, legs, arms and hips and had scratches on her chest.

When spoken to by police, the 63-year-old son reportedly said, “How was he to know that a person should not be left on the floor for 14 hours?”

The man cannot be named because doing so would identify his mother, who has name suppression.

He has now been sentenced in the Tauranga District Court for ill-treatment and neglect of a vulnerable adult.

The court heard he had “intentionally engaged in conduct, namely neglect, likely to cause [his mother] suffering”, and this conduct was a “major departure” from the standard of care expected of a reasonable person.

He was also charged with stealing his mother’s gold ring on 29 August 2025, which he then took to Cash Converters.

It cost the woman’s family members $175.50 to get the ring back from the business.

He told police he had intended to buy it back “within the month” and had only borrowed it to pawn for money for bills.

The man was also charged with possession of a methamphetamine pipe.

In court, his lawyer, Amy Baker, said he was trying to make “all efforts to better himself” and had completed a workshop while in prison.

“As has already been discussed, obviously methamphetamine is the driving factor behind what’s occurred here,” she said.

Baker noted that from her own observation, the man presented “entirely differently” than when she first met him in the police custody cells, which was indicative of the fact that “substance abuse was very much at the heart of the offending”.

Baker handed the judge a brief letter of remorse and apology from the man.

Judge Dean Blair had earlier this year given the man a sentence indication, adopting a 24-month starting point.

The man had accepted the indication and entered guilty pleas to the three charges.

The judge had been open to a sentence of home detention, but Baker said no suitable address was available.

The judge allowed a 20 percent discount for his guilty plea.

Judge Blair, noting the man had made comments to a pre-sentence report writer in which he challenged “some of the specifics” of what happened, saying it was “too late for [the man] to give a different outline of what happened” because he had pleaded guilty to the summary of facts.

The report concluded that the man had a “lack of empathy and responsibility for the situation”, but it was common ground that he had been dealing with a “methamphetamine use issue” when the neglect occurred.

Judge Blair said that, before the incident, the man’s mother had been living in her own home, “where she felt secure”.

Now, her life had changed dramatically, and she was living in permanent residential care, unable to return home.

“The loss of the home, familiar surroundings and way of life has been most difficult,” the judge said.

Her health had deteriorated, and she felt “horrified” by what happened.

“The betrayal felt is difficult to put into words for her,” Judge Blair said.

The judge said the aggravating features were the breach of trust, the victim’s vulnerability, the degree of callousness in the man’s actions and the extent of the neglect and harm caused to the victim.

Once the guilty plea discount was applied, the end sentence was 20 months and two weeks’ imprisonment on the neglect charge.

He received two months’ imprisonment on each of the other charges, to be served concurrently.

The judge also ordered $176.50 in reparations to cover the cost incurred by the family in retrieving the woman’s gold ring and granted the woman a protection order.

This story originally appeared in the New Zealand Herald.

RNZ

Latest News

Police say person who fired gun at officers still at large

Published

2 days ago

November 12, 2026

News Staff

Police say a person who fired a gun at officers in Napier is still at large.

Eastern District Commander Superintendent Joel Lamb said Police tried to stop a vehicle in the Pirimai Area at about 10pm on Tuesday.

He said someone in the back seat pointed what was presumed to be a firearm at officers pursuing the vehicle.

“Staff have then heard two distinct gunshots as the firearm was discharged.

“Fortunately, neither of our officers were injured, and the patrol vehicle did not sustain any damage.”

He said hours later, the vehicle was seen travelling north on the Waikato Expressway towards Auckland.

Police seized the vehicle at an address in Manurewa, but they had not found the alleged offender.

Lamb said people who lived at the Manurewa address were engaging with Police.

He said Eastern District and Counties Manukau Police were making enquiries.

“Presenting a firearm at a Police officer is a serious escalation that puts our staff and the wider community at risk. This behaviour is entirely unacceptable.

“We are taking this incident extremely seriously and will be pursuing all lines of enquiry to locate the offender and hold them accountable.”

Police asked anyone who witnessed the incident to contact Police on 105 or online using the reference number 261111/3764.

Information could also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

rnz

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New Zealand sides named for RLWC finals

Published

3 days ago

November 11, 2026

News Staff

The players tasked with ending Australia’s Rugby League World Cup dominance have been named.

The Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns have announced their squads for this Sunday’s World Cup finals in Brisbane.

Both sides are chasing their first titles since 2008, and both are looking to end their opponents run of three crowns in a row.

“Our Kiwi Ferns have been so dominant in years gone by, and we want to bring dominance back to this jersey, so I think it will be a case of who wants it more,” said co-captain Georgia Hale of the impending clash.

The Kiwis get a major boost for the final as they welcome back Ronaldo Mulitalo after he served a one-match ban for a high tackle against Fiji Bati.

Mulitalo replaces Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who moves to the six-man bench, which again includes utility Te Maire Martin, middle forwards Naufahu Whyte, Erin Clark and Xavier Willison plus fullback Keano Kini.

Loose forward Joseph Tapine will make his 30th Test appearance in a familiar pack again, including second-rowers Isaiah Papali’i and Briton Nikora, and props James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota.

Winger Jamayne Isaako is on the cusp of claiming the New Zealand record for most Test points.

His five goals against Tonga lifted his career points tally to 225 – level with Shaun Johnson – while centre Casey McLean goes into the final with 16 tries in just eight Tests.

Fisher-Harris will again captain the team.

Fullback Ponga said the goal of the group was clear.

“We have high expectations around what we want to achieve, and obviously winning a world Cup is one of them.”

Meanwhile, Ricky Henry has selected a settled side to take on the Jillaroos, led by their lethal centre combination of Stacey Waaka and Mele Hufanga.

Veteran Apii Nicholls takes the number one jersey, Leianne Tufuga and Mackenzie Wiki on the wings.

Henry has stuck with his halves pairing of Chantay Kiria-Ratu and Raecene McGregor with Alexis Tauaneai, Georgia Hale and Otesa Pule up front.

Rounding out the starting pack is Shaniece Monschau, Kaiyah Atai, and Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa.

“We have been building well throughout the tournament; we understand the Jillaroos side, and will give it our all to make New Zealand proud this weekend,” said Henry.

RLWC Finals:

Kiwi Ferns vs Jillaroos- 6.10pm

Kiwis vs Kangaroos – 9.35pm

Sunday November 15

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Live blog updates on RNZ

Kiwi Ferns:

1. Apii Nicholls 2. Leianne Tufuga 3. Mele Hufanga 4. Stacey Waaka 5. Mackenzie Wiki 6. Chantay Kiria-Ratu 7. Raecene McGregor 8. Alexis Tauaneai 9. Georgia Hale 10. Otesa Pule 11. Shaniece Monschau 12. Kaiyah Atai 13. Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa.

Interchange: 14. Ashleigh Quinlan 15. Annessa Biddle 16. Shannon Mato 17. Ivana Lauitiiti.

Reserves: 18. Brooke Anderson 19. Zahara Temara 20. Brianna Clark 21. Abigail Roache 22. Tenika Willison.

Kiwis:

1. Kalyn Ponga, 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Casey McLean, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Kodi Nikorima, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. James Fisher-Harris (c), 9. Jeremy Marshall-King, 10. Moses Leota, 11. Isaiah Papali’i, 12. Briton Nikora, 13. Joseph Tapine (v/c).

Interchange: 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Naufahu Whyte, 16. Erin Clark, 17. Xavier Willison.

Reserves: 18. Keano Kini, 19. Phoenix Crossland, 20. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 21. Scott Sorensen, 22. Leo Thompson.

rnz

Latest News

Parliamentary Service working on extra chairs and offices for increased number of MPs

Published

3 days ago

November 11, 2026

News Staff

The chief executive of the Parliamentary Service is confident there will be enough room to accommodate the increased number of MPs and their staff coming into Parliament.

On current numbers, up to 131 MPs could be sitting in the Chamber following the election, brought on by a record overhang result.

Clerk of the House of Representatives Dr David Wilson told the Spinoff that currently the debating chamber had enough chairs to seat 124 MPs – including the Speaker of the House – and work was being done to accommodate more by altering the seating arrangement.

In a statement, Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero said planning for a larger Parliament had been going for “some time”.

“Now that the election results have confirmed an increase to the number of members we are looking at several options.

“We are confident we will be able to accommodate all members within the Chamber.”

Chief Executive of the Parliamentary Service Rafael Gonzalez-Montero appears before select committee. — Parliamentary Service chief executive Rafael Gonzalez-Montero.

VNP / Phil Smith

Gonzalez-Montero said office accommodation for members and their staff would be “stretched” for a short time, but the new Members’ Building was only a few months away from “practical completion”.

That building – located behind Parliament – was due to be ready to occupy in April next year and had capacity to accommodate around 30 backbench MPs.

“All members should be in fit-for-purpose accommodation from that point,” Gonzalez-Montero said.

Following the 2023 election, 123 MPs sat in the Chamber – a record number at the time. That decreased to 122 following the resignation of National MP Judith Collins.

Collins held the seat of Papakura and stepped down in May and Parliament voted against holding a by-election because it was too close to the election.

The election result also meant high-ranking National Party MPs like Chris Bishop, Paul Goldsmith, Nicola Willis and Gerry Brownlee – Speaker of the House and an MP for 30 years – would likely not make it back into Parliament.

Only resigning or retiring MPs were permitted to give a valedictory speech meaning none of them would get the chance to give a valedictory statement.

Asked if their would be special allowances for valedictories, Wilson said in a statement that normally only MPs were allowed to speak in the House but the House could suspend its own rules or temporarily alter them.

“It could do so to allow former members to address the House.”

Wilson said no such arrangements could be made until the next Parliament opened and members sworn in.

rnz