Home detention inmate in custody after tv appearance
A 35-year-old man who appeared on the Sunday morning children’s television programme What Now without permission while on home detention has found himself in custody.
He faced two charges of breaching his home detention – imposed for burglary – when he appeared before Judge Jane Farish in the Christchurch District Court today. He also admitted a shoplifting charge.
He also got interim name suppression because he is on bail awaiting a high profile trial. It is the second time he has been granted suppression because of convictions in the lead-up to the trial.
Judge Jane Farish told him his breaches happened after he had been warned that he faced jail time if there were problems with the home detention sentence, and he had also committed a theft.
“Whatever is going on in your life, it strongly says you are not suitable for more home detention,” she told him, remanding him in custody for sentencing on December 16. Probation would decide as part of his pre-sentence report whether he could be readmitted to home detention.
Probation told the court the electronic records showed he had left home early for an approved absence from home for employment at the Canterbury Museum.
Probation was told that he appeared in the audience of the television show What Now on another date, and had provided fraudulent verification of activity where he was supposed to be.
He originally said it had been his brother on television, but later admitted it was him.
On September 18, he was caught on surveillance cameras going into Ballantyne’s department store in central Christchurch with an empty Ballantyne’s bag and filling it and leaving the store three times with pillows and towels. The total value was $523.
Category: News
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