Maori King's son to be convicted

Korotangi Paki, son of he Maori King Tuheitia. Photo by NZ Herald
Korotangi Paki, son of he Maori King Tuheitia. Photo by NZ Herald
The second son of the Maori king, Korotangi Paki, will be convicted for drink-driving.

Paki, 19, was let off charges of burglary, theft and drink-driving by Judge Philippa Cunningham in July after his defence counsel successfully argued a conviction would ruin his chances of succeeding to the throne.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to all the charges, which related to two separate incidents dating from March this year and October 2013.

The Crown had appealed his discharge and a judgment issued today upheld his conviction for drink-driving.

Judge Cunningham said in the Auckland District Court on July 3 that she was "driven to the conclusion" that Paki would lose out on being a successor if convicted.

"There are only two sons and, in my view, it's important that the king, at the appropriate time, has the widest possible choice of a successor and it's important for Mr Paki, as one of those two sons, to have the potential to be a successor in time."


While his drink-driving was moderately serious, she said, the direct and indirect consequences of a conviction were "out of all proportion" to the offence.

However, she said she was concerned that alcohol had been a factor in both incidents, and made the ruling conditional on receiving a report from a medical professional clearing Paki of any alcohol addiction or alcohol abuse issues.

He was also disqualified from holding a driver's licence for eight months.

Paki's friends - Te Ahorangi Totorewa, 20, Hamuera Wipoha Pugh, 19, and Raa Ngaru Smith, 18 - were all discharged without conviction in Gisborne District Court over the March burglary and theft incident.

The four had stolen surfboards from a Top Ten Holiday Park and clothes from a man's car after a drinking session in March.

Judge Cunningham also praised the work Paki and his friends had undertaken in terms of restorative justice and community work, as well as an ongoing mentoring programme.

- NZME.

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