Disorderly behaviour conviction for racist tirade

A Rarotongan man told an Alexandra couple to "go back to your own country" during a booze-fuelled tirade of abuse at their store.

At his sentencing on a disorderly behaviour charge in the the Alexandra District Court yesterday, the court heard Teariki Robert Enoka (60) became annoyed by the price of a can of coconut cream at Bazaar Alexandra on October 28.

The police summary said he made a series of racist remarks to the victim, then walked out of the store.

He soon returned to shout more racist abuse and made offensive hand gestures.

They called police about 7.50pm to ask for him to be removed.

When police found Enoka at a nearby bar, he was abusive and aggressive, declaring he was a "sovereign citizen" and the law did not apply to him.

The victims later showed police CCTV footage of the incident, which showed the defendant banging on the store windows and kicking its door.

He repeatedly told the victim’s wife to "s... my d... bitch" while pointing at his genitals.

Enoka later told police: "The Indian should f... off to his own country. I don’t give a f... about them."

Counsel Kieran Tohill said Enoka had been remonstrating with the victim over the price of taro.

"It simply wasn’t racism, it was just a drunk being stupid."

The defendant was a well-regarded installer of fire safety systems throughout New Zealand, Australia and the Antarctic. Asked if the defendant had a drinking problem, Mr Tohill said he possibly did "struggle with alcohol at times", but on the day of the incident he had simply been drinking at a work function.

Ms O’Brien noted the defendant’s early guilty plea and his willingness to take part in the restorative justice process, even though a meeting with the victims had not proceeded.

She told Enoka there was "no excuse" for his behaviour, convicted him and ordered him to pay $500 to the town’s Salvation Army branch within 28 days.