Gang members trashed Carrington Resort: Ex-manager Belle Mumby's theft, forgery trial
Belle Mumb (inset). The former operations manager of Carrington Resort is charged with theft and forgery.
Photo:
Open Justice / NZME
A chief executive has exposed chaos within a multimillion-dollar Northland getaway where gang members trashed the resort and a chef allegedly stole wine and urinated outside the restaurant.
The revelations have emerged at a judge-alone trial in the Whangārei District Court against Belle Mumby, the former operations manager of Carrington Resort.
Mumby is facing 14 theft and document forgery charges arising from her employment at the resort on the Karikari peninsula from 2018.
Several of the charges relate to instances where Mumby is alleged to have forged the signature of chief executive and director Jing Ma to claim overtime.
It is also alleged Mumby took advantage of her position to purchase an iPad, iPhone, AirPods, a Dyson hair dryer, CCTV home kit and a Fuji Instamatic camera from Noel Leeming.
Crown lawyer Danica Soich told the court Mumby had also sold a six-tonne trailer and post rammer valued at $100,000 for $3000 and kept the money.
However, Mumby's lawyer Wayne McKean said the director made up the allegations to wrongfully dismiss his client.
"It is her case the CEO put her signature on the overtime form and asked her to photo copy it and use the photocopy form.
"The CEO asked her to do it that way as the CEO was hardly ever around," McKean submitted.
McKean also said the purchases from Noel Leeming were for the resort and the chief executive knew about the sale of the trailer and even took part of the proceeds.
Jing Ma gave evidence she has worked for Carrington in various roles since 2014, managing projects and eventually became chief executive and a director in 2018.
Ma said Mumby was employed as a tour guide in 2016 to look after delegations coming from China.
Ma revealed an employment disciplinary procedure occurred following that position and she was let go.
However, Ma said they had built a friendship and she urged the company to re-employ her as the guest co-ordinator, which they did in 2018.
"That was biggest mistake I make, the others were right. I was wrong."
Ma said at the time she was heavily pregnant, business was slow and the resort was facing several employment issues with staff members.
"I asked Belle to just act like my eyes or like my ears and collect some information and allow me to make right decisions," Ma said through a Chinese interpreter in court.
Ma said Mumby requested her role change to operations manager which Ma said she did not agree to.
An employment agreement with her signature on it was presented to Ma which she claimed she had never seen and the signature was not hers.
Ma said she noticed several of Mumby's overtime forms submitted during the low season would strangely exceed hours typically expected in the high season.
Ma said she sent an email reminding staff overtime was to be authorised on pre-arrangement only with managers.
"Did you ever sign any blank overtime forms with your signature?" Soich asked her.
"No, it has to be applied for the overtime, tell me about it and when I get to resort then I will sign it," she said.
"I paid her a high rate to do her job well but I found there's not much she's actually doing, she's just there but making lots of purchases as well."
Ma said a disciplinary process began in 2019 after Mumby allegedly took a cash loan from the resort and travelled to Hong Kong.
Ma also said when 300 gang members allegedly trashed the resort and police contacted her, Mumby brushed the incident off as "it's nothing".
"What she's done was terrifying.
"She told me lies everything. The chef was stealing a box of wine every day, he peed in front of the restaurant and it's all cover him up, I don't know why," Ma said.
It was around this time Mumby was formally suspended from Carrington when Ma found out she had sold their trailer and post rammer.
"I said to her you have been suspended because of a few things."
McKean presented Ma with a signed employment agreement for operations manager yet Ma insisted she be shown the original copy which the court was unable to provide.
"The operation manager was she said it (sic). It was herself gave her that title," Ma said through the interpreter.
"I have said clearly to you, this agreement I did not make."
McKean also put to Ma that she was never around in the weekends or public holidays when Mumby worked overtime.
"Her so-called overtime, she would have a drink from the cafe sit on the winery cafe and drink it that will be her overtime," Ma said.
When Ma was asked to look at the signatures on all the documents, Ma insisted the signature was one she had used 20 years ago and was not the same.
The judge-alone trial is expected to finish on Friday.
*
This story originally appeared in the
New Zealand Herald
.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
Two dead following separate Northland, Waikato crashes
Photo: RNZ / Tim Brown Two people have died in separate road crashes on Saturday in Northland and the Waikato. In Northland, emergency services were called to a serious two-vehicle crash on SH1 near Waiomio, south of Kawakawa, shortly after midnight. One person died at the scene. Police said the serious crash unit had examined the site and the highway had since re-opened. At about 7.40am, emergency services were called to another fatal crash on Waikoha Road in Karamu, near Waipā in the Waikato. Police said one man died at the scene, after a vehicle left the road and rolled into a paddock. Investigations into both crashes are ongoing. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
Police recover 365 stolen pounamu pieces following tipoff
Police recover 365 pieces of pounamu, West Coast. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police Police have recovered 365 pieces of stolen pounamu after intercepting a vehicle on the Jackson River in South Westland on Wednesday, following a tipoff from the public. The alert was raised by Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio, representing the local hapū Ngāi Māhaki, after a vehicle was spotted heading up the river. Under current regulations, the public may fossick for pounamu only on beaches. Ngāi Tahu members are permitted to collect from rivers, but only with a valid permit from their local hapū. Franz Josef police located and stopped the vehicle, recovering the pounamu and preventing its removal from the area. Under current regulations, the public may fossick for pounamu only on beaches. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police Inspector Tracey Wharehoka said the theft of pounamu is treated with the same value and mindset that would be taken with other stolen property. "People are often under the impression that, because some of these West Coast locations are remote, no-one else is watching. "This incident proves that is simply not true, and our tight-knit community have their eyes and ears switched on." Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio chairman Paul Madgwick thanked police, saying the theft of greenstone had been an ongoing issue in remote areas. "While the Vesting Act confirms that all pounamu is owned by Ngāi Tahu, our respective pounamu management plans provide an opportunity for the public to fossick freely on the beaches and also recognise the right of Ngāi Tahu members to collect pounamu themselves, within boundaries. "Anyone who is unsure of the rules around pounamu gathering, or has pounamu in their possession and is unclear about ownership, whether they're the general public or Ngāi Tahu whanau, is urged to reach out to the local Rūnanga to understand what is permissible." Police said two men in their 30s were spoken to at the scene and charges were being considered, as the investigation continues. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
13 hours ago
- RNZ News
Police were ready for 'senseless and mindless' people on anniversary of Levin violence
Horowhenua District Mayor Bernie Wanden. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver [xlert]Hundreds of people and cars descended on Levin overnight, driving recklessly and disrupting the community - mayor Hundreds of people and cars descended on Levin overnight, driving recklessly and disrupting the community, the Horowhenua District Mayor says. Mayor Bernie Wanden said Friday night was the anniversary of an illegal gathering that turned violent a year ago , and there had been rumours a crowd would return. He said a large contingent turned up in Levin on Friday evening . "Estimated to be over 1000 people. It turned a little ugly, they deliberately tried to incite and taunt police, tried to provoke them by running into one of their vehicles, setting off fireworks and things like that," he said. "Police were able to break up that gathering, but they had been there for a while - you could hear it throughout the town. They then broke up and went out into different parts of the region and into Palmerston North, before returning to Levin in the early morning and finally breaking up about three o'clock. "Quite a long night for police and emergency people that had to deal with a number of senseless and mindless people who were just there to create as much mayhem as they could." Wanden said police were aware of the gathering and had prepared for it. "We had drones and the Eagle helicopter was deployed around the town, [police] were well supported by that back-up and their ability to be able to break up and then move accordingly was really helpful. "While there were no serious incidents, I do believe some bystanders had been injured through the night, which is really unfortunate, but fortunately no police injuries or anything like that." A video posted to social media showed police standing in formation with shields and body armour, across the highway at the central Queen Street and Oxford Street shops, with multiple sirens heard and many thick dark tyre skid marks seen in circles on the intersection in front of them. On 1 June, 2024, a gathering of more than 200 people and cars in Levin turned violent, with a crowd blocking the town's main street and officers reporting projectiles thrown at them. RNZ has approached police for comment. Earlier this month, the government announced stiffer punishments for those convicted of offences related to boy-racing, and for drivers who fail to stop for police. Those caught doing burnouts or taking part in unauthorised street racing or intimidating convoys faced vehicle destruction as a presumptive sentence, while fines for making excess noise from a vehicle were also raised. At the time of the announcement, Transport Minister Chris Bishop said New Zealanders were sick and tired of seeing "idiot drivers" put the community at risk. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
