Two a penny

.

LATEST

Brumbies forward Shawn Mackay is in a coma in a Durban hospital after being hit by a car in the South African city in the wake of the team’s loss to the Sharks.

Mackay was apparently struck by the vehicle while trying to get into a taxi early yesteday morning.
The 26-year-old is in an induced coma in St Augustine’s Hospital after being admitted to the intensive care unit with serious head and leg injuries.
Sharks team doctor, Dr Craig Springate, said Mackay underwent emergency surgery.
South African website News24 reported there are fears that Mackay may be paralysed after suffering a vertebra injury along with multiple face and leg fractures.
“There is some concern about paralysis, but we will only know when he recovers from the anaesthetic.
“He has suffered multiple injuries and fractures which can be classified as serious,”Springate said. The spinal cord is intact but there is some swelling.
Mackay was leaving the Clapham Grand Night Club in Morningside with the rest of his team mates at 4.”
The hospital listed his condition as “serious but stable”.
Emergency response spokesperson Derrick Banks said: “When paramedics arrived on the scene, they found him lying on the side on the road.15amyesterday (local time), when he was hit by a car which drove away and returned to the scene 10 minutes later.. . he had suffered massive injuries and had to have advanced life support intervention. he had suffered massive injuries and had to have advanced life support intervention.”While we are still gathering details our primary concern is for Shawn’s health and safety.
“Shawn is a popular member of the playing group and obviously our thoughts are with him,” Brumbies spokesperson Nick Smith said.Mackay, an Australian sevens representative, joined the Brumbies this year from the Waratahs.”
Durban police have opened a case of reckless and negligent driving.
He can play lock or loose forward and has also played junior league for the Sydney Roosters. He came off the bench in the loss to the Sharks.

Ad Feedback –>
loadAd(’300×250′,’STORYBODY’,300,250);

.
The Brumbies play the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein this weekend

.
Murder accused suspected ex of abusing daughter

By LYN HUMPHREYS – Wednesday, 25 February 2009

/
Cindy Fairburn: Denies she murdered her former partner by driving into the path of another car.

The woman accused of the body-on-the-bonnet murder decided to kill her ex-partner because she suspected him of molesting their little daughter, a Crown lawyer told the High Court in New Plymouth yesterday.
Cindy Fairburn, 38, is alleged to have deliberately driven into the path of an oncoming car as Darin Paul Maxwell, 42, clung on to the bonnet.
The impact with the Isuzu was so severe, Mr Maxwell was flung from the bonnet and through the windscreen of the Isuzu.
The story of the 13km wild, crazy ride on State Highway 3 on August 6, 2007 unfolded in the High Court in New Plymouth yesterday.
Mr Maxwell died in the ambulance on the way to Taranaki Base Hospital.
His extensive injuries included bleeding lungs, a foot almost amputated, fractured legs and a deep cut on his shoulder.
The Isuzu's driver also suffered life-threatening injuries but survived after weeks in hospital.
An infection resulted in a return to hospital where a leg was amputated.
Fairburn herself was knocked unconscious and critically injured, spending 15 weeks in hospital.
Fairburn's lawyers argue that her actions on the night were solely those of a woman defending herself from Mr Maxwell.
Fairburn, who quietly wept as the jury trial started yesterday, has denied murdering her former partner and dangerous driving injuring the Isuzu driver, whose name is suppressed.
In response to her child's unusual cry after she was put to bed, Fairburn had gone in to her baby's room to find her tucked up in her cot, but without nappies and her nappy and pants neatly folded at the end of the cot.
In opening, Crown prosecutor Cherie Clarke said Fairburn had been angry and upset since the Saturday before the fatal impact.
In her mind, he had sexually abused their two-year-old daughter, Miss Clarke said.
In her mind, he had sexually abused their two-year-old daughter, Miss Clarke said.
When told by police that Mr Maxwell would not be arrested immediately, she was angered, saying he should not be allowed to get away with it.
She reported the incident to police, taking them a cot sheet, hairs she said were pubic hairs she had found on the floor next to the cot and the underblanket so they could use them as evidence.
On the Monday, the baby was examined by a paediatrician who found no evidence of a sexual assault and ESR tests weeks later found no evidence of semen on the baby's bedding, Miss Clarke said.
The accused had told a friend that if police were not going to do anything, she would.
She had left the bar and he had somehow ended up on the bonnet of her car, Miss Clarke said.
That night, she encountered Mr Maxwell at the Heritage Bar in Inglewood.
She then drove at speeds up to 120kmh on the open road with Mr Maxwell still clinging to the bonnet, Ms Clarke said.
Other drivers on the road that night described how Mr Maxwell was slipping and sliding across the bonnet as she veered across the white line on the main road in Inglewood, cars on the opposite side having to steer hard left to avoid her.53pm, close toly at the Mangorei Rd intersection, she suddenly and violently swerved her car directly into the path of the Isuzu which was travelling towards Inglewood, Miss Clarke said.
At 9.
Weeks later, Fairburn told police that she had got a fright when he jumped on the bonnet outside the hotel yelling and screaming.
Weeks later, Fairburn told police that she had got a fright when he jumped on the bonnet outside the hotel yelling and screaming.
She had not wanted to stop the car in case he jumped into the car.
She said she had no memory of the collision.
The couple's history included a charge of Mr Maxwell threatening to kill her and the toddler in 2006.
But she withdrew her allegations saying she was concerned about his suicidal tendencies and she was charged with making a false statement. .
Defence lawyer Pamela Jensen said self-defence would be argued.
The accused did not murder Mr Maxwell nor did she intend to injure the Isuzu driver.
When she drove her car that night, the sole purpose was to defend herself against the actions of Mr Maxwell, Ms Jensen said.

.
Bashing victim spent life helping others

Wednesday, 18 February 2009

A solo mother who died after allegedly being bashed by her female neighbour had cerebral palsy and spent her days helping others.
Heather Simons, 44, died from head injuries yesterday morning in Wellington Regional Hospital after her life support was turned off.
Police say she was assaulted in the house next door to where she lived with her 13-year-old daughter, Sylvia, in Castlecliff, Wanganui, early on Sunday morning.
Some learned of her death only when they saw her letterbox. ..
"Not Heather, far out, I didn't know it was Heather .. "She was a real nice lady, skinny and frail though, probably could've picked her up with one hand. I just saw the flowers," Jim, who lived in the street, said. Any extras, she always brought it over.
"When I first moved in here she was always coming over with food, saying she cooked too much and would I like some. "She was such a lovely lady."
Wanganui Cancer Society manager Wendy Paterson was stunned by the news. She worked in our offices and always helped with Daffodil Day and Relay for Life she never said no. She worked in our offices and always helped with Daffodil Day and Relay for Life she never said no.
Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Bensemann said it appeared Ms Simons had been drinking with the neighbour and alcohol was the catalyst to an argument.
It is understood Housing New Zealand had just offered her a home in a new, safer, area.30am on Sunday.
She was found at her neighbour's house by ambulance staff about 1.
Ana Andrea Hemara, 43, appeared in Wanganui District Court on Monday charged with assault. Police would not say who called the ambulance.
Michael Douglas Christison, 22, believed to be Hemara's boyfriend, is charged with being an accessory after the fact. She is in custody and police say more serious charges will be laid when she reappears today.

.
Army to run teens’ boot camps

By MARTIN KAY Tuesday, 17 February 2009

The army will run boot camps to keep the worst teenage offenders on the straight and narrow under youth justice provisions to go before Parliament tomorrow.
Forty of the most serious repeat offenders each year will undergo three months' military training as part of 18 months' intensive supervision under the plans.
National promised the boot camps before the election, but it was not revealed till yesterday that they would be run by the army.
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said the boot camps would follow six-month residential programmes and be followed by a further nine months' supervision.
Ms Bennett said she wanted them to include mentoring and self-esteem building as well as physical activity. .
However, those schemes would be provided by community groups, such as iwi, and would not be run by the army.
Prime Minister John Key said a further 175 young offenders a year would be subjected to supervision orders that included an element of military-style training.
In all, 1000 of the worst young offenders would be subjected to tougher youth justice measures, including doubling the maximum residential custody sentence to six months, followed by up to a year's supervision.
None of the military training would include firearms.
Maximum supervision with activity orders which can include drug and alcohol treatment will double to six months, with supervision for a further six months. The changes would cost $35 million a year.
The offences for which 12- and 13-year-olds can be sent to the Youth Court will be widened to include robbery, assault and firearms offences, and other serious crimes.
Young offenders serving community-based sentences, or on bail, could also be subjected to electronic monitoring through ankle bracelets.
The move to introduce boot camps was criticised by Labour leader Phil Goff and Kim Workman, the project director of lobby group Rethinking Crime and Punishment.
The court will also be given powers to order parents of serious young offenders to undergo parenting courses. Mr Goff said he scrapped correctional training when justice mnister in 2000 because it had a more than 90 per cent recidivism rate.
Mr Workman branded them "correctional quackery" and said they were motivated by revenge rather than rehabilitation."
But Mr Key said National would tie the boot camps to intensive programmes and supervision over many months. "The main problem with boot camps is you tend to turn out faster, fitter young criminals with the same bad attitudes. We don't accept that where it's part of a much more comprehensive approach.
"The standard view about a boot camp being unsuccessful, we accept that where it's in isolation for a short period of time."

.
Nailgun death in lovers’ row

Friday, 13 February 2009

GRUESOME DEATH: Damon Sturmey died after three shots with a nail gun.

Itwas a lovers' tiff that went horribly wrong.
He did not realise how badly he would hurt himself, New Plymouth coroner Timothy Scott said yesterday.
Damon Ra Sturmey, 39, is thought to have been trying to give his fiancee a fright when fatally shot himself three times in the chest with a nailgun. "I don't think he meant the wounds to be fatal.
After a three-hour inquest, he concluded that he could find no evidence that Mr Sturmey intended to commit suicide.
After being locked out of their house he returned in the morning and shot himself with a nailgun."
Earlier, the inquest was told that Mr Sturmey had been arguing with his fiancee, Sarah-Lee Harlow, last August.
He was alive and conscious for nearly half an hour before Taranaki District Health Board ambulance staff arrived.
Three nails went into his chest, puncturing his heart.
She said he walked toward the ambulance, telling them to go away.
Ambulance officer Janice McGiven said she arrived to find eight or 10 people outside watching as Mr Sturmey repeatedly fell over and got back up.
Mrs McGiven said one of the nails was still lodged in his chest.
Despite the resistance, the ambulance crew were able to start treating him and found three puncture wounds near his heart. . She believed he had pulled the other two out. Ms Harlow moved to Australia about two months after her fiance's death and did not attend yesterday's inquest.
All of yesterday's witnesses were questioned by Mr Sturmey's sister, Niki Sturmey, before she addressed the coroner, saying that the family was not happy with inconsistencies in Ms Harlow's statement to police.
At one stage a family member from the public gallery told the coroner they also did not believe it possible for someone to shoot themselves in the heart three times.
Ms Sturmey said the family could not accept that her brother would take his own life. He said he believed Mr Sturmey thought his wounds were more trivial than they were.
All of the statements were rejected by Mr Scott, who said the evidence was clear that Mr Sturmey's injuries were self-inflicted.

.
Low-key Waitangi after attack on PM

By FLORENCE KERR in Waitangi – Friday, 06 February 2009

PETER DRURY/
SONG AND DANCE: The Aute Samoa Tyrell Family, including Analise Tyrell, foreground, were among the first stage acts at Hamilton’s Waitangi Day commemorations at Innes Common.

There was a peaceful dawn to Waitangi Day celebrations in Waitangi today and a low-key start to Hamilton's commemorations at Innes Common.
In stark contrast to yesterday's kerfuffle, in which Prime Minister John Key was attacked by two men as he prepared to enter Waitangi's Te Tii Marae, thousands attended the morning service at the Upper Marae today without incident. .
A karanga rang out at 5.
He gave thanks to those who signed the Treaty for their "hope and courage" for a better New Zealand, while Labour leader Phil Goff also gave thanks for a safe country.
Mr Key was asked to lead the thousands in prayer.
But not all were happy with the Treaty's status, with one Ngapuhi elder telling the crowd: "The Treaty was signed at 1."
In Hamilton a cultural showcase of music and dance performances, designed to celebrate the city's ethnic and cultural diversity, and hosted by Te Runanga O Kirikiriroa, was expected to attract about 4000.30pm on February 6, 1840 it died at 6pm that night.
Meanwhile a 19-year-old and a 33-year-old were remanded in custody until Monday after they appeared in Kaikohe District Court on assault charges against Mr Key.
Groups performing included those from the India NZ Global Association, Waikato Filipino Association, Scottish country dancers, African Children's Gospel Choir and Knights of the Dub Table.
"They grabbed my shoulder and my arm but it happened very quickly.
"I was confident the situation would get under control pretty quickly," Mr Key said. They pulled one guy off then the second guy came and tried to push me back. They pulled one guy off then the second guy came and tried to push me back.
Kingitanga spokesperson Tom Moana said King Tuheitia was enjoying his time in Waitangi as part of Tainui's first royal presence at the events since 1990 and the multi-denominational service was "interesting"."
One of the men told reporters he was angry that the Maori Party had formed a coalition with National.

. Mr Moana said the Kingitanga had not ruled out an appearance next year

.
Winston Peters still has VIP car

By ESTHER HARWARD – Sunday, 01 February 2009

When it'sover, it's time to say goodbye. But Winston Peters' attachment to his government-issued car endures.
The ex-MP's ministerial car, a 2005 Ford Territory SUV, is still parked outside his home in Auckland's St Mary's Bay.
Internal Affairs confirmed his was the only car not returned by ministers ousted in last November's election.
The car has a "VIP" sticker in its window and appears to be in use. He said the police should be called to recover the vehicle.
Act leader Rodney Hide was outraged Peters still had the car three months after being voted out of parliament.
"This has never happened before. Winston Peters it's always been about him, and he thinks everyone owes him a living. MPs from all parties have respect for the taxpayer.
"First of all, start off with a fact and not a tissue of lies as well, on your first question," he told the Sunday Star-Times before adding: "Now don't be a numbskull."
Peters was irritated yesterday at fielding questions about the car, after its presence was flagged on blog sites. Stop indulging in lies and stop wasting my time. If you want to believe a whole lot of blog sites and Rodney Hide, and every other twit in town, go right ahead." He then hung up." He then hung up.
A department spokesman said Peters had been overseas, and had been talking about buying the car but now wasn't which had delayed arrangements for its return. It is supposed to be back with Internal Affairs officials to be allocated to another minister or sold.
"He has given the car back, it's simply a question of us arranging to collect it at a time when someone's able to give us the keys. He said the department would send a VIP driver to Auckland with another driver to bring the car back to Wellington. "We wouldn't have expected any significant use of vehicles in this time."
He didn't know if Peters was driving the car at taxpayers' expense. . We don't think any use is likely to affect the value or is likely to be very significant.
The car would probably be sold because it had been driven a lot.
He said there was no particular date for returning cars, and agreements were "all on the basis of being reasonable".

.
Taskforce plan to help Maori in tough times

By KATHERINE NEWTON Thursday, 29 January 2009

Maori AffairsMinister Pita Sharples will set up a ministerial taskforce to help Maori weather the economic crisis – a move that will come as news to Prime Minister John Key.
Dr Sharples said he would chair the taskforce, with a fulltime secretary based in his office."
He had not yet run the idea past Mr Key, but believed he would be supportive. "This is an indicator of the absolute importance I give to this initiative. But he will be pleased.
"I don't think it's got much to do with him it's not his taskforce, it's mine.
Dr Sharples announced the establishment of the taskforce at a Maori economic workshop yesterday."
Mr Key was on his way back from the Solomon Islands last night and could not be reached for comment.
"The role of the taskforce will be to capitalise on the information and the opportunities which will emerge today in these talks," Dr Sharples said. About 80 Maori business and tribal leaders, including Treaty negotiator Ngatata Love and former MP John Tamihere, gathered to propose ideas to mitigate Maori unemployment and help Maori organisations through the recession.
"It's now our time to take a leading role in New Zealand's economy.
He told the workshop that Maori entrepreneurship and flexibility, or the "Maori edge", put Maori in a position to offer leadership to New Zealand.
Although Maori were in a better economic position now than in previous recessions, they remained vulnerable, Dr Sharples said."
The ideas from the workshop would feed into the Government's jobs summit next month.5 billion in 2006, but 52 per cent of those assets were in primary industry, making them prone to global fluctuations. Maori assets had increased to $16.
The Maori Development Ministry, Te Puni Kokiri, expects Maori unemployment to reach 12 per cent to 15 per cent by next year the highest figure in a decade.
New Zealand Stock Exchange chief executive Mark Weldon told the workshop the economic crisis posed threats to Maori, especially those in low-skilled occupations such as construction.
But Labour's Maori affairs spokesperson, Parekura Horomia, told Radio New Zealand that loans by themselves were not enough and Maori leaders must focus on keeping their people in the workforce. .

.
Capital blackout baffles Transpower

Thursday, 22 January 2009

Transpowerofficials cannot guarantee a power cut that paralysed most of central Wellington during the morning rush hour yesterday won't happen again, and remain in the dark as to the cause.
The blackout plunged about 25,000 central Wellington businesses and houses into darkness, trapping people in lifts, disabling traffic lights and stalling trolley buses.42am caused two other substations to shut down in Central Park and Kaiwharawhara.
A fault at the company's Wilton substation at 7.
"It was a problem that obviously impacted on people and that's regrettable.
Transpower grid performance manager David Brewer said the outage was serious and to his knowledge had not occurred on such a scale in Wellington before.. The fault itself has been identified but the . cause hasn't been identified..
The blackout affected the city's southern suburbs, the central business district to the north end of The Terrace and as far north as Johnsonville and Khandallah."
Mr Brewer could not rule out a similar power cut in Wellington again but said it was rare and "it's very, very unlikely that this is going to come about again". A relay is a device that detects faults and opens a circuit breaker to shut the system down in order to protect the main power grid, Ms Fitzpatrick said.
Transpower spokeswoman Adele Fitzpatrick said a faulty relay was found at Wilton and had to be replaced before power could be restored.
Power was restored to northern suburbs at 8.
In the next few days a forensic examination would be done on the relay to explain why it failed. Earlier, thousands of people had poured on to streets from darkened office buildings.30am and the cbd just after 9am.
When the stairwell of Norfolk House in Featherston St plunged into darkness, central city worker Adam Brown used his mobile phone light to navigate.
Five fire engines attended seven cases of people trapped in lifts, two of smoke from cold-starting generators, and various alarms triggered by the outage. I'm bloody glad I didn't take the rickety old lift.
"It's a bit of a shock the infrastructure is so flimsy. General manager Stephen Keith said they made more then 800 cups of coffee in just over an hour more than double the usual tally."
Astoria cafe, in Lambton Quay, was one of the few which remained open thanks to the building's generator. With everyone else out [of power] everyone came to us. With everyone else out [of power] everyone came to us. We had queues out into the park."
Four generators kept Wellington Hospital running and there were no delays to flights at Wellington airport.

.
Capital blackout baffles Transpower

Thursday, 22 January 2009

Transpowerofficials cannot guarantee a power cut that paralysed most of central Wellington during the morning rush hour yesterday won't happen again, and remain in the dark as to the cause.
The blackout plunged about 25,000 central Wellington businesses and houses into darkness, trapping people in lifts, disabling traffic lights and stalling trolley buses.42am caused two other substations to shut down in Central Park and Kaiwharawhara.
A fault at the company's Wilton substation at 7.
"It was a problem that obviously impacted on people and that's regrettable.
Transpower grid performance manager David Brewer said the outage was serious and to his knowledge had not occurred on such a scale in Wellington before.. The fault itself has been identified but the . cause hasn't been identified..
The blackout affected the city's southern suburbs, the central business district to the north end of The Terrace and as far north as Johnsonville and Khandallah."
Mr Brewer could not rule out a similar power cut in Wellington again but said it was rare and "it's very, very unlikely that this is going to come about again". A relay is a device that detects faults and opens a circuit breaker to shut the system down in order to protect the main power grid, Ms Fitzpatrick said.
Transpower spokeswoman Adele Fitzpatrick said a faulty relay was found at Wilton and had to be replaced before power could be restored.
Power was restored to northern suburbs at 8.
In the next few days a forensic examination would be done on the relay to explain why it failed. Earlier, thousands of people had poured on to streets from darkened office buildings.30am and the cbd just after 9am.
When the stairwell of Norfolk House in Featherston St plunged into darkness, central city worker Adam Brown used his mobile phone light to navigate.
Five fire engines attended seven cases of people trapped in lifts, two of smoke from cold-starting generators, and various alarms triggered by the outage. I'm bloody glad I didn't take the rickety old lift.
"It's a bit of a shock the infrastructure is so flimsy. General manager Stephen Keith said they made more then 800 cups of coffee in just over an hour more than double the usual tally."
Astoria cafe, in Lambton Quay, was one of the few which remained open thanks to the building's generator. With everyone else out [of power] everyone came to us. With everyone else out [of power] everyone came to us. We had queues out into the park."
Four generators kept Wellington Hospital running and there were no delays to flights at Wellington airport.