‘Go back to Ireland!’ ‘Gypsy’ dad denies trashing beach and putting ants in his family’s meals

A group of British tourists are set to be deported from New Zealand after a series of ugly incidents culminated in a blazing row with staff at a Burger King.

The family faced accusations of trashing a beach, causing chaos on a flight and putting ants and hair in their food to avoid paying for meals at a series of restaurants and cafes.

And it all got worse on Tuesday afternoon when the family – who have been referred to as ‘Irish gypsies’ – fell out with workers at a burger chain.

Six police officers and two immigration officials were on the scene in Hamilton at about 3pm, when they served the family with deportation papers, Stuff reported.

The family earlier said they were going to cut their holiday short after denying the were responsible for the series of incidents – although a report did claim that the father stole a journalist’s phone.   

The group, which consists of two brothers, their partners, their children, and their mother and father, told the New Zealand Herald the issue at the beach had been blown out of proportion and they were a ‘respectable family.’ 

 

A group of Irish tourists who allegedly left their trash all over a beachside park, threatened locals, and caused chaos on a flight have now been accused of not paying for meals at two restaurants and a café 

After the publication tracked them down at a hotel in Hamilton, one of the brothers protested over being filmed and grabbed the phone from the reporter’s hand and deleted the footage before handing it back.

The two brothers, who gave their names as John Johnson and David Johnson, said they were being targeted at the beach by people telling them to go back to their country.

David Johnson said that his son was hit at the beach by another child and then taunted, which is the reason for his outburst towards being filmed.

‘We were sitting there, and a little boy smacked one of the kids. They come over and start calling us loads of names ‘go back to Ireland.’ We’re sitting there having a meal and we’re relaxing,’ the boy’s father David Johnson said.

‘One of the guys got very violent to one of my friends and everybody got around us and we had no choice but to get up and leave and there was a mess there, because we couldn’t clean it up because we were badly intimidated by a group of people.’

He said they would now cut their trip short by a week and leave the country on Friday and will not get to visit one of their trip highlights.

‘We’re here to see the Hobbits … I’ve been looking at the Hobbits my whole life, since I’m born, that was originally what our plans was but it’s all been f***** up now … I feel very unwelcome here. I feel like an alien invader, I don’t feel happy and I’m far from Irish.’  

Establishments across Auckland on New Zealand’s North Island have complained the group put ants and hair in their meals in an attempt to get their meals for free and abused staff. 

On January 9 three members of the group had breakfast at the Montrose Café and ordered over $110 worth of food before skipping out on their tab.  

A woman with the group then pulled a hoodie over her head before getting into their white van, slamming the vehicle door into a nearby car as she did so 

A woman with the group then pulled a hoodie over her head before getting into their white van, slamming the vehicle door into a nearby car as she did so 

Benjamin Salt, the restaurant manager, said that the group was continuously ordering items to keep staff busy and were rude to the other customers.

‘They asked me for the total bill. I told them it was $114 and I had to repeat myself a few times before all of a sudden one of them said ‘have a look at this, there is a hair in my food’,’ he told the New Zealand Herald.

‘We were pretty sceptical but the chef came out to the table to apologise and we were going to take the item off their bill and then one shoved their food into me and when I went back to get rid of the plate they ran out the door.’

The group previously been accused of attempting to scam two other restaurants by refusing to pay for food at Mr India and The Backyard Bar & Restaurant in Northcote.

Roger Van Kempen, the manager of The Backyard Bar & Restaurant, said that on January 3 some of the tourists bought food at the establishment and then put ants in the food to try and avoid paying their bill.

A coffee shop in inner Auckland also accused the group of refusing to pay for chocolate cake and then yelling at staff.

The establishments where the group of Irish tourists have reportedly had incidents 

The establishments where the group of Irish tourists have reportedly had incidents 

When the New Zealand Herald tracked down some of the travellers when they checked out of their budget hotel on Monday they were told there would be trouble if they were photographed.

A woman with the group then pulled a hoodie over her head before getting into their white van, slamming the vehicle door into a nearby car as she did so. 

The tourists also allegedly caused havoc on their flight into the country. 

Among the carnage were reportedly demands for large seats, continuous requests for alcohol and a dirty nappy left in an overhead bin. 

One passenger on the Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Auckland on Friday told the New Zealand Herald the family made the journey the ‘worst flight’ of his life.

Before the flight departed, both children gallivanted around the plane’s aisles and a daughter allegedly yelled at her mother who demanded food from staff, the passenger claimed.  

The Irish tourists who trashed and threatened locals on a New Zealand beach also allegedly caused havoc on their flight into the country  

When others realised the family-of-six had apparently left a soiled piece of clothing in their hand luggage, the fellow passenger reached the end of his tether. 

‘The parents also asked for different seats because they are overweight and didn’t have enough space, even insisting the attendant ask another couple with the only free seat on the plane to switch with them,’ he said.  

‘They would lean against us often with an armpit on my head or an entire arm blocking the movie I attempted to watch. I was already boiling at this point, so asked the attendants if we could move. 

‘After leaving the plane they even left one of her [their baby’s] suits in the overhead that we think had actual poop left in it, because it smelt like death.’

As the plane descended the passenger said the young girl ignored the seatbelt sign and attempted to stand.  

Days later the supposed same group were filmed leaving beer bottles and rubbish on a busy beach, before a child threatened to ‘knock the brains out’ of locals who confronted them in now-viral footage.  

Witness Krista Curnow said the group of about 12 tourists, who spoke with an Irish accent, turned violent when she asked them to clean their mess as they left the beach

Witness Krista Curnow said the group of about 12 tourists, who spoke with an Irish accent, turned violent when she asked them to clean their mess as they left the beach

The incident, which unfolded at Auckland’s Takapuna Beach on New Zealand’s North Island on Sunday, was captured on camera by Krista Curnow.

She said the group of about 12 tourists, who spoke with an Irish accent, turned violent when she asked them to clean their mess as they left the beach. 

‘Their response was basically if we have a problem then we can pick it up and that that’s what the council is for,’ Ms Curnow said. 

‘I approached the family to ask again if they could not disrespect our country while visiting and pick up their rubbish.  

'Their response was basically if we have a problem then we can pick it up and that that's what the council is for,' Ms Curnow said

‘Their response was basically if we have a problem then we can pick it up and that that’s what the council is for,’ Ms Curnow said

Footage showed a young boy, wearing a wide-brimmed Bunnings Warehouse hat, approach Ms Curnow, telling her: ‘I’ll knock your brains out’

‘They turned violent and even grandma and the child got involved saying they wanted to punch my head in.’

Footage showed a young boy, wearing a wide-brimmed Bunnings Warehouse hat, approach Ms Curnow, telling her: ‘I’ll knock your brains out’. 

‘The mouth on that young boy – absolutely disgusting! What kind of role models are the parents allowing this sort of behaviour,’ Ms Curnow said. 

‘We live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, how dare people come to NZ and disrespect our country, this is our home.’ 

The Irish family later ordered food at a nearby Nandos store, before demanding a refund, The New Zealand Herald reported. 

Another local claimed they confronted the family at a Bunnings Warehouse after seeing the video online. 

‘We just came across him in Bunnings Hillsborough… he was wearing the same clothes,’ the woman wrote on Facebook. 

The Irish family reportedly later ordered food at a nearby Nandos store, before demanding a refund

Pictured: Rubbish left behind by a group of tourists at a popular beach in Auckland 

Pictured: Rubbish left behind by a group of tourists at a popular beach in Auckland 

‘He’s absolutely sh***ing himself after getting a bit of a talking to from my partner about respecting our country.’ 

Footage of the incident has since gone viral and has garnered thousands of comments.   

‘My big fat gypsy holiday! Imagine having to sit next to them on a 12-hour flight. Horrendous! Glad you said something,’ one wrote. 

‘What did I just watch? That little boy thought he was so tough,’ another noted.

One of the members of the group was seen ushering the child away as he threatened Ms Curnow

The incident unfolded at Auckland's Takapuna Beach on New Zealand's North Island on Sunday

The incident unfolded at Auckland’s Takapuna Beach on New Zealand’s North Island on Sunday

A third said: ‘Being Irish, this embarrasses me so much. It’s people like this that made me leave Ireland. Absolute disgrace.’

Ms Curnow said she and her friends cleaned up the tourists’ mess, with the help of other beachgoers.

‘I loved how everyone else on the beach came to support and we all picked up the rubbish together! Love NZ,’ she said. 

Inspector Kevin McNaughton, Acting Area Commander of Waitemata East Police, told Daily Mail Australia the incident was being investigated.   

Ms Curnow said she and her friends cleaned up the tourists’ mess with the help of other beachgoers

‘Police will be speaking with those involved and will be referring them to Auckland Council with regard to their behaviour around the littering of rubbish,’ he said. 

‘Police would like to remind the public that offenders caught illegally dumping rubbish may be issued with a fine of up to $400. 

‘Serious offenders may also be prosecuted under the Litter Act 1979 with a maximum penalty of $30,000. 

‘We pride ourselves in our clean, green image as a country and thank the members of the public who reported this behaviour on this occasion.’ 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk