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They're gone! Unruly tourists slam NZ 'holiday from hell'

Author
Michael Neilson,
Publish Date
Mon, 28 Jan 2019, 9:41AM
The family at the Airport Palms Motel in Auckland before their departure back to the United Kingdom. Photo / File
The family at the Airport Palms Motel in Auckland before their departure back to the United Kingdom. Photo / File

They're gone! Unruly tourists slam NZ 'holiday from hell'

Author
Michael Neilson,
Publish Date
Mon, 28 Jan 2019, 9:41AM

The unruly British family who caused havoc across New Zealand over the past few weeks have touched down in the United Kingdom after fleeing what they describe as a "holiday from hell".

Joe Doran, his wife, Eileen, and parents Barbara and Larry, caught the attention of worldwide media after a seemingly innocuous litter incident at Takapuna Beach erupted into a North Island tale of thefts, unpaid bills and general nuisance behaviour.

After the group left their rubbish on the beach a young family member threatened a woman that he would "knock your brains out" as she filmed him.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff called them "worse than pigs".

The four adult Dorans were served 28-day deportation liability notices by Immigration New Zealand after an incident at a Hamilton Burger King, and according to the Daily Mail touched arrived at Heathrow Airport yesterday (NZ time).

Larry Doran told the Daily Mail at Heathrow Airport the family had done "nothing wrong" on the trip.

"It's been the holiday from hell. It's lies, they've condemned us. We've been hiding in the mountains for two days. We wanted to see the Hobbits, Lord of the Rings, didn't get to see that."

Th family at the Airport Palms Motel in Auckland before their departure back to the United Kingdom. Photo / File
The family at the Airport Palms Motel in Auckland before their departure back to the United Kingdom. Photo / File

He told the Daily Mail they were going to go to the "Citizens Advice people and the Human Rights people".

Joe Doran, with a new blond hairstyle, told the Daily Mail they were being blamed for "everyone else's doings".

"We are getting blamed for all different travellers' problems.

"We didn't know them. I had to dye my hair."

Joe's wife Eileen said the rubbish on the beach in the first incident was not theirs.

"But we were the last ones off the beach. I don't know why they had it in for us."

Two of the group have also appeared in court.

Tina Maria Cash, 26, admitted theft charges in Hamilton District Court on January 16 after she stole energy drinks, rope and sunglasses from an Auckland service station on two separate occasions.

She was convicted and ordered to pay $55 in reparation.

Another man, who has interim name suppression, faces charges of assault with a weapon, reckless driving and using a document for pecuniary advantage.

The abandoned car crashed by the group on January 24 as they drove to an airport motel in Auckland. Photo / File
The abandoned car crashed by the group on January 24 as they drove to an airport motel in Auckland. Photo / File

He was bailed to reappear in the Auckland District Court on February 8 when he is expected to enter a plea to the charges.

Two of the charges relate to an incident at Takapuna beach when the man is accused of driving his car at the complainant and attempting to steal her cellphone.

While driving to the airport last week Larry Doran crashed his car after claiming he got a fright when a local abused them, yelling out "gypsy scum".

The group then fled on foot, luggage in tow, along Māngere's streets heading to a local motel.

The vehicle was stripped of its number plates and other items, while the Daily Mail photographed an Auckland Transport staff member circling the car.

The Dorans told the Daily Mail they planned to sue Goff over his remarks in which he called them "a*******s'' and said they were "worse than pigs.''

Yesterday Goff told the Herald he was standing by his comments.

"With all the evidence emerging on their behaviour, Aucklanders were right to call them out. I don't resile from any comments I made about them".

The
The "unruly tourists" before they left New Zealand, with Joe Doran (centre) sporting a new blond hairstyle. Photo / File

Goff told the Herald last week the group were showing a clear pattern of behaviour, saying police should arrest them and boot them out of the country.

"The police, if they have the opportunity, should have them," he said.

"If you say one time I found a hair or an ant in my meal you'd believe it but they find it every meal that they have as a way of evading payment. That's a criminal activity.

"They're worse than pigs and I'd like to see them out of the country."

There have also been claims of a Wellington hotel room left covered in cans of Red Bull, spaghetti and cigarette butts and smelling of poo.

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