Judge jails Josiah Brooking who painted fake Timaru crossing, kept sawn-off shotgun
A man who previously forced two prisons into lockdowns during destructive rooftop and riot incidents has now been caught painting a pedestrian crossing on a main route into a South Island town.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi condemned Josiah David Brooking’s actions, saying people’s lives were put at risk and it caused costly disruption after authorities were forced to close the road to remove the markings.
The 26-year-old’s latest offending formed part of a wider crime spree that also involved a sawn-off shotgun and a stolen crossbow.
Sometime between October 13 and 14, 2025, Brooking painted white crossing lines across King St, one of Timaru’s main arterial routes.
Around the same time, he was seen as a passenger in a vehicle while tape was being wrapped around a firearm. He was already under police investigation following a tip-off.
A fortnight earlier, Brooking had broken into a house and stolen a crossbow.
Police raided his home on October 14 and recovered the crossbow. Ten days later, the loaded shotgun was found in his garage with four shotgun shells. It was seized and handed to police two days later.
This week, Brooking appeared in the Christchurch District Court for sentencing on charges of unlawfully carrying and possessing a firearm, intentional damage, receiving and driving while disqualified.
Judge Raoul Neave said Brooking had a long history of involvement with the justice system.
Brooking had previously caused thousands of dollars’ worth of damage at two Canterbury prisons.
In 2020, he climbed onto the roof of Rolleston Prison and refused to return to his cell, causing more than $30,000 damage by tearing up roofing iron, smashing windows and destroying security cameras.
Two months later, after being transferred to Christchurch Men’s Prison, he took part in a riot involving four other inmates, during which furniture, fixtures and fittings were damaged.
In 2023, Brooking failed in a High Court bid to reduce a two-year prison sentence imposed for threatening to kill, intentional damage, attempting to pervert the course of justice, breaching bail, receiving and dangerous driving.
At this week’s sentencing, police sought a Firearms Prohibition Order, arguing Brooking was a gang member who met the threshold for the restriction.
The order would have banned him from possessing or accessing firearms, ammunition and related items.
Judge Neave declined the application, saying he had seen no evidence to support it.
Addressing Brooking directly, the judge said he still had some growing up to do.
“There is a degree of insight on your part which is positive.
“I’d imagine you probably have potential.”
The judge noted Brooking had left school at 13 and that a comprehensive assessment revealed a history of drug and alcohol abuse.
“It looks like you have an addictive personality. Gambling is part of the mix.”
Judge Neave said Brooking’s upbringing had involved significant exposure to the justice system and had caused substantial trauma.
He sentenced Brooking to 21 months’ imprisonment, disqualified him from driving for 12 months and ordered him to pay reparation for the damage caused to the road.
After sentencing, an NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi spokesperson said they hoped the sentence would deter others from similar behaviour.
“Painting public roads with unapproved and non-compliant road markings puts people’s lives at risk, particularly when those markings encourage pedestrians to cross a busy road where drivers are not expecting to encounter a crossing point.
“The removal of illegal road markings is also costly and time-consuming, requiring the closure of the road and inconveniencing everyone who uses it.”
Al Williams is an Open Justice reporter for the New Zealand Herald, based in Christchurch. He has worked in daily and community titles in New Zealand and overseas for the last 16 years. Most recently he was editor of the Hauraki-Coromandel Post, based in Whangamatā. He was previously deputy editor of the Cook Islands News.