Vehicle trader ordered to pay

Keith Turner, a vehicle trader who works from home, appeared before the judge in Napier District Court on Friday for failing to pay back $7,000 he took from a couple who believed they were purchasing one of his cars. Patricia Ross and partner Ray Ohia paid the amount to Turner for an imported Nissan Murano in 2016. The import company refused to release the car to Turner as he already owed the company more than $16,000. Ross and Ohia eventually went to the vehicle importer and purchased the car directly. The dispute has been up in the air since November 2016, when the Disputes Tribunal ruled Turner to refund the sum to the Hawkes Bay couple. The money did not arrive and consequently they applied for both a warrant to seize the property to cover the debt, and an arrest warrant to force Turner to attend a financial assessment hearing. However, Turner refused to allow him the bailiff to enter his house early last year, so the matter went before a judge in October. Turner told the Judge that he had not denied the bailiff access, and said the bailiff was free to attend his property any time – the judge directed a bailiff to return to Turner's house a second time. When the bailiff turned up last month, Turner again refused to let him in again.  Another court hearing was held on December 19, but Turner did not appear on time, the matter was adjourned until Friday. Turner's debt to Ross and Ohia now stands at $8472.50. When the judge told Turner the court had power to order him to do community work if the debt was not paid, and that if he did not do the work he could get an alternative sentence "if you follow my drift", Turner said he would start making payments. In a separate case , Turner has been ordered to pay a Hawke’s Bay church group $11,150 over another car deal. The case was originally covered by Stuff.co.nz.