Hamilton bookstore hit by serial vandal targeting women's biographies
Two copies of rugby league commentator Honey Hireme-Smiler 's biography were also damaged in the same way during a later visit.
'We knew then that someone was doing this on purpose and we did think 'Okay, does this person have an issue with women?',' Carter said.
On Friday, a copy of Full Circle by TV presenter Jenny May-Clarkson was also found 'ripped and hidden, face down' on one of the store's display stands.
'I was thinking 'why is this happening to these three particular women?',' she said.
Carter then discovered that the same thing, involving the same three books, had also occurred at a bookstore 25 minutes out of Hamilton.
'What got me... is the disrespect. No respect for our store, no respect for these women, and just purposefully doing it,' she said. 'We're an independent bookstore, we've been here for 44 years and we've actually never had anything like this happen to us.'
Although the store had experienced theft, no one had deliberately vandalised stock until now, Carter said.
'In 2025, as everyone knows retail is hard for anyone. We are against the big-wigs, we are very local and our customers support us and they're amazing. It's hard work in this retail environment, and then to see that, that's more money going out of my pocket.'
The store owner had not engaged with police yet as she was unsure as to whether they could do anything.
'I want this person to know that they're not welcome back and we will trespass. I don't want this kind of behaviour in the store.'
Because it had happened at multiple stores, Carter felt the man's actions were racially motivated.
'Someone's got an issue, a big issue.'
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Hireme-Smiler, a former cross-code international-turned commentator, hails from Putāruru, South Waikato and is of Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Ahuru descent.
May-Clarkson (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Kahu) is another former international sporting star who successfully transitioned to a media career.
Tui - a Black Ferns world champion and sevens Olympic gold medallist - has Samoan, Irish and Scottish heritage.
'What really annoys me is that these three women who have written these books, and what they've gone through to get to where they are is unbelievable,' Carter said.
'And this person just comes along and just does this to their books, that really grates me.
'It'll be really interesting to find out if this is happening anywhere else in the Waikato. What concerns me is that he's doing it another store.'
She estimated the culprit was aged 'between 45 and 60'.
'We hope he feels like sh*t. It's just uncalled for. We're not going to tolerate this behaviour any more.'
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NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Teen boy housed in Tauranga motel by Oranga Tamariki for more than a year
During that year, Oranga Tamariki sent *Cody on a state-funded trip to a Pacific Island, with his now-estranged mother, to see if he could connect with family. The boy told the court this had 'not gone well', and after the trip last August, it was back to the motel. Cody was in Youth Court in Tauranga, facing relatively low-level charges, and Judge Paul Geoghegan asked him how he spent his days, and what education he was receiving while living in the Tauranga motel. 'None,' he replied, describing waking up late, eating, gaming, and seeing his girlfriend. He also had an Oranga Tamariki-appointed mentor he would meet with on occasion. Cody was supervised by Oranga Tamariki-contracted APEX minders, who, in pairs, were on 48-hour shifts at the motel. It's understood there were a limited number of carers on rotation. Youth Court judge Christina Cook commented at a later hearing that the 'cost to the taxpayer must be horrendous', and remarked that it was 'not a way to live'. One of the reported constants the teen appreciated was a weekly meeting with a psychologist from Auckland. However, an Oranga Tamariki social worker told Judge Geoghegan, at the hearing in March, that a 'leadership-led' decision was made to stop that. Judge Geoghegan issued a minute, in which he said the teen was 'simply treading water' and 'there may be psychological needs which are not being met'. Judge Paul Geoghegan. Photo / Andrew Warner After being granted permission to report on proceedings by three separate Youth Court judges, NZME sent questions to Oranga Tamariki about Cody, primarily focused on why he was at the motel for so long, what led the organisation to place him there, and how much it cost to keep him there. Oranga Tamariki was also asked about what provisions were made for his food and education, and how much the trip to the Pacific Islands cost. However, Oranga Tamariki declined to provide responses saying: 'the leave that has been granted to [NZME] does not authorise Oranga Tamariki to provide you with information about the young person and matters addressed in the Youth Court'. Tamariki and whānau services national commissioner North Alison Cronin provided a general statement that said typically young people only spent one night in a motel, and most children and young people will stay for three nights or fewer. She said 'occasionally' young people may need to stay longer. 'These young people may have high and complex needs which can make it difficult to find appropriate placements for them,' she said. 'Some may have behaviours which are extremely challenging to safely manage, and which pose a risk to themselves or others in a group setting.' She said sometimes they might stay longer because of proximity to whānau, continuation of education, or access to support services while a longer-term placement is found. Data released by Oranga Tamariki under the Official Information Act said that as at July 1, 2025, 18 tamariki and rangatahi in the care of Oranga Tamariki were staying in motels. Oranga Tamariki had more than 4100 young people in its care at that time. Oranga Tamariki didn't keep specific data on the number of children sent overseas, while in its care. 'Information on tamariki and rangatahi travelling overseas for any purpose, including to connect with whānau, is not recorded in fields that can be extracted from our case management system as structured data,' it said. 'This information would be stored in the narrative case notes for the tamaiti or rangatahi in question... Oranga Tamariki would need to review individual case notes for all tamariki and rangatahi, which would require substantial manual collation.' Charges due to boy's 'frustration', says Judge Cody, who turned 15 in February, was charged with wilful damage, speaking threateningly, threatening to kill, and unlawfully interfering with a motor vehicle. Judge Geoghegan felt the charges were to a 'considerable degree', because of the boy's 'frustration' with his current circumstances. The judge couldn't move ahead with the Youth Court charges without a plan for more appropriate housing and education, and without a psychological report, which had been cancelled. 'The reasons for that are unclear given the quite dire situation which I believe exists in [Cody's] particular circumstances,' the judge said. It's understood Cody had a long history with Oranga Tamariki's Care and Protection arm, and Oranga Tamariki's typical care arrangements had been tried without success. The judge acknowledged the teen's mother had 'washed her hands of him', his father's whereabouts were unknown, and efforts to connect the teen to whānau in New Zealand had fallen on 'barren ground'. The teen's lawyer, Peter Attwood, told the court the teen's charges weren't serious enough for him to be remanded in a youth justice residence, and he, the social workers, and police all agreed the National High Needs Hub needed to find a place for him. 'The hub' is a centralised Oranga Tamariki unit, that receives referrals to care and protection residences with specific wrap-around supports. But no one could tell the judge why 'the hub' hadn't accepted the referrals and found a placement. Cody was first referred there in mid-December last year, and nothing had been progressed. Been at the motel 'a hell of a long time', says judge At a crossover court appearance a month later, where both Care and Protection and Youth Justice social workers were in attendance, little had changed. At that hearing, Judge Christina Cook reiterated Judge Geoghegan's concern, noting the teen was still living in a motel, albeit absconding in breach of his bail conditions to spend time with his transient girlfriend. The teen's youth justice social worker said this worried her. 'I don't know where he is, who he is with, and if he's safe', she said. 'We [social workers] stay awake at night worrying about the likes of [Cody] and if he's okay.' Judge Cook was particularly concerned about the abrupt end to Cody's meetings with the psychologist, and was baffled by the delay in response from 'the hub'. 'Which is immensely frustrating and it is easy for me to say that, but I am not the one who has to live day-to-day in a motel supported by carers.' Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances of being housed at a motel, Judge Cook was told the teen's key social worker on the ground had done an 'incredible amount of work'. NZME attempted to speak with that social worker, who arguably understood the nuances and challenges of Cody's situation better than anybody, but she said she'd been told by Oranga Tamariki management not to speak to NZME about the case. Judge Cook spoke directly to the teen, acknowledging he'd been at the motel for 'a hell of a long time', but it was 'nothing to do with the people in this room, it's somewhere up the chain'. Both Judge Cook and Judge Geoghegan directed minutes to Oranga Tamariki, raising their concerns about Cody's circumstances. At an appearance on May 26, it was advised that a placement had been found, supported by an iwi provider. He would be the sole occupant of a home, with specialist support and carers. NZME was granted provisional permission to report on Cody's circumstances, but only once the teen had been advised of the new arrangement, and safely relocated to the new residence. The teen was transferred in late June, and questions were then put to Oranga Tamariki on June 30, but a media adviser indicated they needed more time. In the meantime, Cody's matter was called in the Tauranga District Court for the final time. At a hearing on July 7, his offences were discharged under section 282 of the Oranga Tamariki Act, meaning he will not have a criminal record. His lawyer, the police, social workers and the judge all agreed the teen needed a fresh start in his new residence, out of Tauranga. There had been concerns he would refuse to leave Tauranga, but the transfer had gone smoothly and Attwood told the court he was 'finally' getting the therapeutic intervention he needed. Youth advocate Peter Attwood. Attwood said there was little need for punitive action, as his core needs had always been care and protection, with youth justice 'has been used as an arm to crank' that side of things. Judge Louis Bidois agreed with a social worker that to transfer the charges to a different location would just be another 'weight on his shoulders'. NZME understands that his new placement hasn't been without incident, but his iwi are sticking by him. It's also understood his particular care arrangement falls under a relatively new care provider. *The teen's identity is subject to statutory suppression, as is the case in all Youth Court proceedings. A pseudonym has been used. Hannah Bartlett is a Tauranga-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She previously covered court and local government for the Nelson Mail, and before that was a radio reporter at Newstalk ZB.
1News
4 days ago
- 1News
Heartwarming community effort brings missing woman home safely
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Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Sex attacker's victim still waiting for offer
When a woman sexually violated after a work party was proactively offered a reparation payment by her attacker at sentencing, she thought it would be paid "then and there". She also thought it would be the end of the matter and she could start to move on with her life. The victim told NZME that while $2500 felt like a "pathetic amount" compared to what she'd been through, and the financial loss she'd suffered, it would be some help towards Christmas, which was then coming up. But the money didn't turn up in her account, and calls to police and the courts left her doubting if she would ever see the money. It was only after NZME became involved that the money has now been paid, nine months after Joshua Oliver was sentenced to imprisonment, having received a 5% discount for remorse - a discount that took into account his offer of emotional harm reparation. While the government's Chief Victims Adviser Ruth Money said she couldn't comment about specific cases, she acknowledged there were ongoing concerns about unpaid reparation. In particular, she worried sentencing took into account reparation or other offers, and yet they often did not materialise. "The judge can only take [offers] at face value, so the judiciary takes into account all offers and all signs of remorse as part of a normal sentencing process." A 'manifestation' of remorse A jury found Oliver guilty in June last year on a charge of sexual violation for an attack while the victim was asleep and intoxicated after a work party. After an evening of socialising, the victim had gone to bed in a spare bedroom in a friend's house, only to wake to Oliver "forcefully" violating her. Her victim impact statement said it had been one of "the most extreme violations a person can endure". It left her traumatised, unable to work, and she told the court her children had lost the "carefree, happy mother they once knew". When Oliver was sentenced in October, he provided a letter of remorse and made the offer of emotional harm reparation. Judge Lawson said $2500 couldn't "possibly repay the financial loss that the victim suffered, but it is an offer which I can take into account as a 'manifestation' of the remorse you've talked about". The judge was persuaded that comments Oliver made to a pre-sentence report writer, and the contents of the letter provided to the court, suggested he appreciated the impact of his actions. "Very often in cases like this, we find victims left in a state of doubt because the defendants maintain their innocence and do not accept the verdicts. Here you have accepted what you have done and that your offending has caused harm to the victim." "More than that", Oliver had made the offer of $2500 emotional harm reparation. Taking all that into account, Judge Lawson gave Oliver a 5% discount for remorse, as well as 10% for Oliver's background, to arrive at an end sentence of six years' and three months' imprisonment. He ordered the emotional harm reparation, though didn't give any specific directions about timeframe in his oral judgment. A lot of 'back and forth' The victim said there had been a lot of "back and forth" trying to get the reparation, and she had followed up with the collections team at the court. She was told there had been an unsuccessful attempt to collect the money while Oliver was in custody, and she wouldn't get the reparation for "at least another six years, or when he gets out of prison, if [she gets it] at all". The victim told NZME that from the start, it had felt like a "pathetic amount". She'd been unable to work after the attack, and it had derailed the career she'd been pursuing. Despite that, she and her husband had seen the sentencing as the end of the process, and expected the offered reparation would be paid straight away so they could move on. "We were like, oh good, Christmas is not far away, we can actually 'do Christmas', kind of thing... but then it never came." She thought that because the money had been proactively offered, and had informed the discount, it would be paid "then and there". "If you're not gonna pay it, don't get 5 percent off... stay in prison for a few more months," she said. The victim's husband said they thought, "this is sentencing, he goes to prison. The payment is made. We move on with our lives and don't have to think about it again." Before the payment was made, the victim said chasing up the payment had made it hard to move on and put the attack, and the trial, behind her. It had felt "never-ending". It was only after NZME contacted a representative for Oliver that the payment was made. However, despite several requests for comment, NZME has not received any official response about why it hadn't been paid earlier. Outstanding reparation Figures released to NZME in March, revealed unpaid reparation in the Tauranga District Court sits at $5,717,308, while the total outstanding reparation across the country is $105,678,413. Ministry of Justice National Service Delivery group manager Tracey Baguley couldn't comment on specific cases, but said when reparation was ordered in cases where a defendant was sentenced to imprisonment, the ministry would still attempt to collect the payment. That was payable within 28 days unless specific alternative timeframes were directed by the judge. "When an offender is in prison... however, enforcement options are often limited," Baguley said. Enforcement could include wages or bank account deduction, seizing property and, in some cases, suspending the offender's driver's licence. "...the legislation does not empower the court to pay the victim before it is collected from the offender; instead, the offender pays reparation, with payments enforced by the court." This is an area that Money, the government's chief victims adviser, has much to say about. When reparation went unpaid, it could cause issues with trust and confidence in the court system. It could also have a "long-lasting impact" on victims. "Either receiving little drip-fed amounts over a long period of time, as a constant reminder of their trauma," she said. "Or waiting many years, and still perhaps nothing materialising at the end of it." She had seen "many" cases where reparation had been paid swiftly, however, and where the offender had paid reparation while in prison. "Often the survivor is using that for therapy, for loss of income over missing work... it allows them to truly draw a line in the sand." She wanted to explore whether the state could pay the reparation, and then chase up the offender, rather than leaving it to victims. "That is an expensive option, particularly in today's economy. But is that a reason for us not to do it? Absolutely not." - By Hannah Bartlett, Open Justice reporter of the New Zealand Herald Where to get help Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason. Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357 Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO (24/7). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends. Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 (24/7) or text 4202 Samaritans: 0800 726 666 (24/7) Youthline: 0800 376 633 (24/7) or free text 234 (8am-12am), or email talk@ What's Up: free counselling for 5 to 19 years old, online chat 11am-10.30pm 7 days/week or free phone 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787 11am-11pm Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm or text 832 Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi and English. Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254 Healthline: 0800 611 116 Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 OUTLine: 0800 688 5463 (6pm-9pm) If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
