Town turns on man ordered not to use his toilet

A man who was ordered by the council not to use his toilet has claimed he became a target of community abuse as a result, and now lived in fear of being terrorised.

Dean Brown, from Hastings on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island, said since a court’s ruling banning him from flushing, he had been shamed by the public.

He said people had been turning up outside his house at night since the court’s decision, including what he claimed were members of a gang, Hawkes Bay Today reported.

“The Mongrel Mob was out there yelling the other night,” he told the publication.

Mr Brown had been accused of poisoning the district’s water supply with his septic tank sitting on top of an aquifer.

He was requested by Hawkes Bay Regional Council to update his septic system before it expired - an expense that would set him back between $5,000 and $8,000.

When Mr Brown failed to comply with an abatement notice in August 2018, an infringement notice was issued in September 2018 to stop him using the septic system.

Having still not been contacted by Mr Brown regarding either notices, council pursued Environmental Court proceedings, in which it filed for an enforcement notice.

Council gave Mr Brown until May 1 to apply for resource consent, which Principal Environment Court judge Laurie Newhook ruled in favour of earlier this month.

Mr Brown, who used a camping toilet after being ordered not to use the bathroom in his home, said he had since submitted paperwork to gain resource consent.

“I’ve submitted to council for all the sets of plans … I’ve passed those on to my plumbers and my plumbers are doing up a plan for consent,” he told the publication.

He said the reason he was delayed in responding to council notices was a serious health issue which required a stay in hospital.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, download the Yahoo News app from iTunes or Google Play and stay up to date with the latest news with Yahoo’s daily newsletter. Sign up here.