Drunken friend carried out knifepoint robbery
Replaying a song over and over was the trigger for an incident that became a knifepoint robbery.
A jail term of two years four months was imposed on 18-year-old Jesse Lee Fraser for the drunken early morning episode in which he robbed a former friend.
Christchurch District Court Judge Paul Kellar imposed the term at Fraser’s sentencing after his guilty plea to what was described as a serious, violent incident. Fraser has been given a first strike warning under the rules that impose heavier penalties on repeat violent offenders.
The judge said Fraser had gone to visit a friend at his house, and when he had probably drunk too much early in the morning, an argument began over a minor matter – Fraser became angry because the victim had been playing the same song over and over.
Fraser began punching him as he sat at the computer. Fraser dragged him into the lounge and told him to unplug the Playstation, and then held a 20cm kitchen knife to his throat while telling him to hurry up and saying he was going to kill him.
Fraser made the victim put games, game controllers, cellphone, and a collection of 27 baseball caps into a rubbish bag. Since the incident, Fraser has helped to recover much of the $2000 worth of property taken.
“The victim was petrified. He feared for his life,” said the judge. Fraser made threats, but told him he would get his property back if he didn’t call the police. The victim received a black eye, chipped tooth, and a sore nose and face. He suffered from depression and anxiety and the incident has made those conditions worse.
Fraser told the police he had been really drunk and did not know why he did it. He was remorseful, but the pre-sentence report referred to his history of violent offending. He was assessed as a medium-to-high risk of further offending or harming others.
Judge Kellar said it was apparent that he needed to complete programmes for misuse of alcohol and for violence.
He imposed the jail term and ordered Fraser to pay the remaining reparation of $1199.
Category: Focus
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