Falcon Fun book winner

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Appearing in Blenheim District Court for breach of community work, Robert Filipo was told by Judge Stephen O’Driscoll to stand in the dock.

He refused, telling the judge “It’s only community work.”

Unimpressed, Judge O’Driscoll responded, “community work that you haven’t done.”

After muttering to himself and sighing loudly, Filipo stood briefly in the dock before casually draping himself over the front barrier.

Judge O’Driscoll immediately told him to stand properly and not to slouch.

“This is a court, not a circus,” he said, as people in the public gallery shifted nervously. Court security officers were quick to respond, standing closer

Appearing on Monday for Filipo, defence lawyer Sarah-Jane Jessop spoke briefly before the court commotion, saying Filipo was able to do his community work. The court heard he had only completed 17 hours out of 100 hours of his community work sentence.

The court did not reveal what Filipo had been sentenced for but that the case had been on-going since 2021. Reading the case file, Judge O’Driscoll said Filipo was “not showing any remorse.” He agreed the pandemic had affected the case, with Filipo excused from appearing on 32 occasions and failing to appear on 36 occasions.

He stood the case down to allow the Department of Corrections the chance to review the case and the likelihood of Filipo completing his sentence.

Congratulations to Ioree McKenzie who has won a copy of Falcon Fun by Blenheim writer Alice Boyce. Thanks to everyone who entered and for those who missed out, the book is available for $22 by emailing alice.c.boyce@gmail.com.