An eighteen year old woman has been abducted and subjected to a gang rape in the small Taranaki township of Waitara (general view of the street above).

Up to five men are thought to be involved the random attack, according to one report

She was taken from outside a house on Cracroft Street and put into a dark-coloured, large station wagon between three and 3:30 this morning, police said.

Our condolences go out to the young woman, we hope that the offenders are caught and brought to justice before they can inflict this horror on another woman.

Waitara was last in the news when a local man was killed in a shootout with police last month.  Adam Te Rata Charles Morehu, 33, was involved in a burglary at New Plymouth Golf Course when he and an accomplice set off alarms at the club. At the time of the incident police said

“…the offenders have crashed their bike on the golf course as they tried to leave and a police dog has been deployed and detained one of the offenders.

“An officer went to assist the dog with the first  offender and during this time the second offender yelled threats and  shot at the officers which led to police discharging a firearm.”

Police spokeswoman Sara Stavropoulos confirmed the first offender  was in  police custody, but would not yet say whether he had been  charged with  anything…” more here “Person shot dead after AOS call out”

Route from Waitara to New Plymouth Golf Club

Meth and Cannabis

In 2010 Morehu had been pulled over by police for a traffic violation. When they stopped him police noticed the pungent smell of cannabis coming from his car. He was later found to be in possession of both cannabis and methamphetamine, and he’d admitted he was drug dealing. Despite that evidence, and being well over the blood alcohol limit when driving, he was only convicted to a 12 month home detention sentence.

“Morehu, who earlier admitted charges of possessing cannabis for supply and possessing pipes for smoking cannabis and methamphetamine, was sentenced to 12 months’ home detention.

Alerted by the smell, police searched Morehu’s Isuzu in the Countdown supermarket carpark finding 488 grams of top grade cannabis heads. Some were in “ounce bags” estimated to be worth between $250 and $500 each on the street.

A search of Morehu’s home located a further 324g of lower grade cannabis while a subsequent search warrant executed on Morehu’s cellphone made it obvious he was dealing. Henare Maxwell, being sentenced on his fourth drink-driving charge, was wished good luck by the judge as he was sent to dry out for a year.

Maxwell blew 870mg per 100ml of blood when pulled over by police at 3am…” source

Treehouse Bar Aggravated Robbery

Locals are speculating that Morehu was also involved in the aggravated robbery of the Treehouse Bar in New Plymouth on Christmas Day 2012. The two offenders made their getaway on a motorbike after the event, much like the offenders in the New Plymouth Golf Club robbery.

Link to Another Police Shooting

Wallace was said to be friends  with Steven Wallace who was shot dead by police after he went on a rampage with a set of golf clubs in Waitara in April 2000. An account of that night is given below.

“…Wallace rampaged like a man possessed. Leaving golf clubs at various scenes he smashed and beat windows and cars.  3 cars were damaged. A
taxi with passengers, a private car with 6 youths in it, the third car was a police patrol car. It has been said that night Wallace was intent on killing either himself or someone else and that the Senior Constable was an unwitting pawn in his game.

Collecting his pistol from the police station, Senior Constable Keith Abbott arrived at the scene of destruction. Beaten cars and 140 smashed windows a testimony of the Suspects State of mind. Steven Wallace began to aggressively advance on Abbott armed with a golf club and a baseball bat. Negotiation with the man proved fruitless. Wallace was warned that the policeman was armed and a warning shot was fired. With still no sign of the danger of the attack lessening Abbott withdrew 50m but was circled by Wallace and was cut off. When he reached 20m away Wallace threw the golf club at the Constables head causing him to duck and continued advancing with the softball bat. Abbott shot four shots  before the man fell at 5-6m from the constable…” source Crime.co.nz

Following the shooting Abbott’s family were harassed and abused by member’s of Wallace’s family, resulting in them moving from the area. Wallace’s family also brought a fruitless private prosecution against Mr Abbott.

Related articles

• Firearms charges laid after police shooting death (radionz.co.nz)
• Woman abducted, assaulted in Waitara (radionz.co.nz)
• Woman dragged into car and assaulted (stuff.co.nz)
• Morehu shot twice – family (nzherald.co.nz)
• Burglar’s grief ends in hail of bullets (nzherald.co.nz)
• Chilling echoes in shooting by police (stuff.co.nz)