Locals want Miramar’s tyre slasher to pay penance by getting behind the lawn mower.

Yesterday 52-year-old David Francis Johns appeared in Wellington District Court and pleaded guilty to a spate of trye-slashings by the airport.

The streets near Wellington Airport are often crowded with cars, which has led to an ongoing feud between residents and those trying to get out of paying for airport parking.

Police said Johns used a sharpened screw driver to slash hundreds of tyres between October 2016 and January 2017.

Miramar Maupuia Progressive Association chair Robin Boldarin said it was a relief that someone had been held accountable.

She said Johns should give back to the community as penance for his actions.

“Let the punishment fit the crime. Why not get the gentleman to mow the berms along the area?”

In court, Johns claimed he had tried to get in touch with the council, but hadn't been successful in getting a resolution. So he became frustrated and took matters into his own hands.

Wellington City Council Transport Strategy and Operations leader Chris Calvi-Freeman said frustration was not an excuse.

“I can’t and won’t justify the action of one individual who has taken what he believes to be the law into his own hands. In fact, it’s not the law at all.

“As we all know the area is currently unrestricted.”
Calvi-Freeman said community consultation on solutions would begin this week.

He said the proposed solution involved restricted parking times in the worst hit areas like Kauri St.

“We are going to propose to them a very simple and reasonably simple solution to take the heat out of the matter.”

Calvi-Freeman said he would not elaborate further on what the solution was until residents were notified on Thursday.

He said it would be several months until restrictions were physically installed.