Ronan Apiti, a 24-year-old man from Lower Hutt, was sentenced for animal cruelty after severely beating his family dog, Buck, resulting in permanent disfigurement. In the Hutt Valley District Court, Judge Russell Collins sentenced Apiti to 12 months of supervision and 60 hours of community work, along with a five-year ban on owning or caring for dogs. Apiti expressed remorse for his actions, describing the dog as one of his children and attempting to justify his behavior by stating, “that’s how they do it in the West Coast.”
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Cambridge house fire: Teenage girl rescued from blaze with critical injuries
A teenage girl is in critical condition after being rescued from a house fire in Cambridge by an off-duty police officer and volunteer firefighter. The fire was reported just before 10pm, and when the first firefighters arrived at the scene on Brennan Place, the blaze was already well established, with the girl initially unaccounted for. Backup crews from Hamilton were called to assist in the emergency response. Full Article
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