Tekken Harper-Brown sentenced for Porirua high-speed boat chase

A man who led police on a “dangerous” high-speed boat chase through a busy marina and harbour area later tried to argue he did not know officers were trying to arrest him.

Tekken Harper-Brown appeared in the Porirua District Court yesterday for sentencing over the chase, which happened after the 28-year-old breached his bail in February.

Police tracked Harper-Brown to the Marina View inlet in Paremata, where he was spotted on a boat moored in the Mana marina, the summary of facts said.

An officer called out to tell him he was under arrest, to which he responded “what for?” before walking to the driver’s seat, turning on the boat and directing a friend to remove the mooring line from the pier.

From about 3m away, officers told him if he left the marina he would be charged with escaping custody. Harper-Brown ignored police and began driving the boat away.

A short time later, the police maritime unit found his boat offshore from Plimmerton, and tried to draw close enough to board it, but Harper-Brown evaded them and headed back to the Porirua harbour.

The speed limit for any vessel within 200m of the shore or any structure is 5 knots, or about 9km/h. This is also the speed limit when within 50m of a swimmer or other vessel.

Harper-Brown was “far exceeding” the limit as he entered the 100m wide harbour passage, and did not slow down, sending large amounts of white water surging as he sped through.

“The police launch was following at approximately 15 knots and was not keeping up with the defendant’s boat,” the summary said.

Several people were fishing on the beach of the passage.

Once he passed the marina he turned hard left to travel under the rail bridge at high speed.

“This area is a highly utilised area by the public for swimming, boating, and other water activities. Travelling in a boat through this area greater than 5 knots is highly dangerous,” the summary said.

The police launch slowed down and launched its tender to follow.

Harper-Brown drove his boat up to a boatshed wharf in the Pāuatahanui inlet and jumped off, leaving his passenger in charge.

Police later found him hiding under a boat shed.

“In explanation the defendant said he didn’t hear police arrest him,” the summary said.

Harper-Brown earlier pleaded guilty to committing a dangerous activity involving ships, and an unrelated dangerous driving matter.

He was yesterday sentenced to community detention and was disqualified from driving.

Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 12 years.