A woman arrested yesterday, who's thought to be part of a group of unruly travellers leaving havoc in their wake, has pleaded guilty this afternoon to two theft charges in the Hamilton District Court.
Tina Maria Cash was charged with stealing Red Bull, rope and sunglasses from a petrol station.
She has been ordered to pay $55.20 in reparations by 4pm today. Her lawyer told the court she is able to pay in full.
Police told the court Cash arrived in the country on November 29 on a travel visa.
The 26-year-old woman raced to a waiting car before speeding away from reporters.
They said her explanation was that she did not remember the two thefts. She has spent the night in custody.
Her lawyer said she accepted the police summary.
Outside court today a supporter of the woman, when asked by 1 NEWS why the defendant stole, said "because she felt like it."
Cash has been served with a Deportation Liability Notice.
Immigration NZ has confirmed four other travellers were served with a notice yesterday. All of them are here on British passports.
Immigration NZ assistant general manager Peter Devoy said, "The 26-year-old appearing in court today was not one of the individuals served with a DLN yesterday. However, the individual has been served with a DLN at the Hamilton District Court this morning."
They’re investigating after a group was filmed leaving a pile of rubbish at the beach, before an angry confrontation with locals.
Cash was charged with theft on New Year's Eve in Albany, and again in the same Auckland suburb a few days later on January 3. Both thefts happened at Caltex on Mecari Way.
Police earlier told 1 NEWS the woman is "believed to be" part of the tourist group that has been accused of ripping off multiple restaurants and becoming aggressive when confronted about littering at Auckland's Takapuna Beach.
One of the family members, John Johnson, told the NZ Herald that the family is from Liverpool, not Ireland, and that his grandfather is the "10th richest man in England".
Addressing the beach littering incident that kicked off the saga, Mr Johnson said the whole incident was blown out of proportion.
He said it all began when his nephew, 8, was slapped by another boy at the beach. Soon after he claims that people began calling them Irish scum and hurled items at them.
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