Kaikōura District Council Cracks Down on Cafe Owner Then Seemingly Brags About it on Facebook
December 4, 2022
Sharon Rayner, owner-operator of the Bean Me Up Cafe in Kaikōura, was sentenced on Friday on two charges under the Food Act 2014 brought by the Kaikōura District Council.
The charges were knowingly selling non-complying food and failing to comply with a notice of direction under the Food Act 2014.
News of the conviction was uploaded to the council’s Facebook page, with some locals accusing the council of deliberately outing Rayner. Video uploaded to Facebook by Rayner’s supporters also showed her being led into court from a police van.
The statement read:
“The District Court had previously found Ms Rayner guilty of both charges at a hearing that she did not attend. The District Court has now sentenced Ms Rayner to two months imprisonment. The maximum penalty for the charges is two years imprisonment and a $100,000 fine. The judge stated that Ms Rayner’s refusal to pay previous fines in relation to the case had been taken into consideration in the sentencing decision.”